


the house won't fall (when the bones are good)

by acooper9716



Series: the house won't fall [1]
Category: Outer Banks (TV)
Genre: F/M, Home Renovation, John B and JJ are roommates, John B is a big sap, Kie's traveling around Brazil and is living her best life, Pope may have a girlfriend, Sarah channels her inner Joanna Gaines, but Ward doesn't try to kill John B lol, everything in the show up to episode 7.75 happened, she's an OC, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 87,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25271416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acooper9716/pseuds/acooper9716
Summary: The Pogues and Sarah went on the adventure of a lifetime and found the Royal Merchant’s gold three summers ago. Now at 19 years old, they have more responsibilities- working, going to school, traveling, and figuring out how they should spend their money wisely (you know, like adults are supposed to do).Their first summer back in the OBX as young adults is bound to be a memorable one between renovating a home, relationships moving to the next level, and making life changing decisions. The strength of the Pogues (and their renovation skills) will be put to the test.
Relationships: JJ & John B. Routledge, JJ & Kiara & Pope & John B. Routledge, Kiara & John B. Routledge, Pope & John B. Routledge, Sarah Cameron & JJ & Kiara & Pope & John B. Routledge, Sarah Cameron & Kiara, Sarah Cameron/John B. Routledge
Series: the house won't fall [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2061516
Comments: 60
Kudos: 85





	1. moving out (take me back home)

__

_“It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home… It ain’t home t’ ye, thought it be the palace of a king, until somehow yer soul is sort o’ wrapped round everything.”_

[ _-excerpt from Edgar Albert Guest’s “Home”_ ](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44313/home-56d2235c059bf)

“Is this the last of the ‘em, Sarah?” John B calls over his shoulder while shoving a blue plastic container into the back of the Twinkie. 

It was the last day of Sarah’s exam week for the spring semester and he made the trip to the mainland to help her move everything out of her dorm, thus ending her freshman year at Christopher Newport University. 

“Yep,” she cheerfully answers from behind him. He turns around to watch her walk out of the dorm for the last time with a duffel bag and rolling suitcase in tow. She fumbles around with the keyring in her hand to pop the trunk to her Volvo and lets out a victorious cry when she locates it. 

“I just need to drop my checkout form and room key off at Res Life, and we’ll be good to go!”

Sarah tosses the duffel into the backseat while John B lifts the rolling suitcase into the trunk and slams the door shut. He leans against the side of the vehicle with his arms crossed and glances at the building. He spent more than enough nights trying to squeeze into Sarah’s twin extra long bed when he'd come for weekend visits, and wouldn't miss that at all. When he hears Sarah let out a frustrated sigh, he glances towards the open backseat door she’s standing in, digging through her backpack. 

“What are you looking for?” He turns to rest his shoulder against the side of the car. 

“My checkout form. I shoved it in my backpack so I didn't throw it out accidentally- here it is!” She pulls out a slightly crumpled up half-sheet of paper and shows it to him while pushing the door shut. 

John B chuckles and opens his arms for her to walk into. His girlfriend gives him a fond grin and saunters to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. 

Pressing her nose into his chest, she smiles. He smells like the sea and sunscreen and home. 

_Home isn't just a place_ , she thinks to herself. 

Sarah’s thought is interrupted by her boyfriend gently squeezing her. 

“Are you going to miss it?” 

She lifts her head to rest an ear against his heart and follows his gaze toward the dorm. “Yeah, I'll miss it, but I'll be back in August. I'm ready to be home for a few months.” Sarah pauses and glances up at him. “Thank you for coming to get me and helping me move all my stuff out.” 

John B looks down at her with a soft smile. “You never have to thank me for something like this, Val. You've been my partner in crime for 3 years, and that wasn't stopping when you went to school out of state.” 

Sarah feels her heart swell at his words. This guy has been through so much over the last three years, and he never fails to make her heart skip a beat. 

Choosing to attend Christopher Newport University was a difficult decision for her father to accept, but she was only a little over two hours away from the Outer Banks, and she loved the school. CNU was the perfect place for her- it gave her enough space away from her family to find her own footing while still being close enough for semi-periodic trips home. She had a car on campus to make the trips herself, or John B would drive up in the Twinkie and spend the weekend squeezed into her twin XL bed and go to football or basketball games with her. It was a miracle the Twinkie was still running as well as she was with all the miles John B put on her since September. 

Between her heavy course load, club tennis practices, and the frequent Greek life events her friends dragged her to, driving home for the weekend wasn’t always possible. By the fifth week of the fall semester, Sarah was homesick, overwhelmed with homework, and she desperately needed an escape from school but her schedule didn’t allow her enough time to go home. After calling John B on the brink of tears one Wednesday night, he made the first of several trips to visit that Friday. His community college schedule and shifts at work allowed him a little more flexibility to drive to Newport News. When she walked out of her English class on Friday afternoon and saw him leaning against the Twinkie wearing one of his signature button-ups and charcoal bandana around his neck, she speed-walked across the lawn, fell into his arms, and suddenly, everything felt a little bit better in her world. 

While she was glad to be finished with all her exams and to return home for a couple of months, she would miss Newport News and the group of friends she made this year.

She’s broken from her trance when she feels him press his lips against her crown and ask, “Where’s the Res Life office? Let's get your key dropped off so we can hit the road and beat the touron traffic back home.” 

“Come on,” she says, stepping out of his arms and reaching for his hand. “Let's take one last walk around campus before I drop off the stuff and we go.” 

~

“Thank you! Have a great summer,” Sarah calls out to the receptionist in the Res Life office. Pushing the door open, she grins. _Holy crap, I finished my freshman year of college!_

She feels the extra bounce of excitement in her steps as she follows the steps out to where John B was waiting. 

Now she could look forward to another summer in the Outer Banks- date nights with John B, working, and soaking up as much sunshine as she could. This summer would be a little bit different with Kie in another part of the world traveling and volunteering, but she had John B, JJ, and Pope to hang out with. 

“Alright, John B, let’s go!” She wraps an arm around his waist when she reaches the bottom of the staircase and together, they walk the brick-paved path back towards the parking lot. The picturesque campus is quiet; most of the students left on campus were either taking an exam or packing up their belongings to return home. 

About halfway to the lot, John B stops walking and turns to her. “I have a question,” he states. 

“What’s up, Sancho?” She pivots to walk backward and lifts the sunglasses covering her eyes to meet his.

He stuffs his hands into his pockets and grins. “Are we taking your stuff back to Tanneyhill or our place?” 

Sarah stops walking and furrows her eyebrows. _Huh? Why wouldn't I take my stuff back to- wait…_ Her jaw drops in surprise. 

“Our place?” She takes a few steps towards him and rests a hand on her hip, giving her boyfriend a smirk to mask the excitement rising in her chest. “Huh… Are you referring to the Chateau as our place now?” She waves a finger, pointing between the two of them. 

_Is he asking what I think he’s asking?_

John B nervously tugs at the bandana hanging around his neck. _Why am I so nervous to ask her,_ he silently questions himself. 

They don’t say anything for a few moments before Sarah steps forward to grab his hand and gently squeezes it. It always amazes him how in-tune she is with him and his emotions, especially when he got trapped in his head. Words aren’t always necessary for them to communicate- a quick glance at her from across a room and he knows if she wants to leave by simply reading her eyes and her body language. It’s gotten them out of several sorority events Sarah was dragged along to by her friends that he inevitably had to attend as well. 

He takes a deep breath and nervously smiles. “So I did something with a bit of the gold money: I took over the mortgage payments for the Chateau from Uncle T. I paid for the rest of the house,” he explains. 

“Wait- what?!” She shouts, a hand covering her mouth in surprise. A few people walking past glance in their direction, but neither care about her outburst. 

“Yeah, I own the place now. Sure, JJ lives there too, but it's under my name, and DCS can't bust in there to take me away from it like they tried to when I was 16. It's actually mine now and I know this sounds really cheesy and dumb as fuck and like that romantic stuff the guy always says to get the girl at the end of those movies you make me watch, but I can't imagine living in that house without you.” He steps closer to meet her eyes and tucks a few stray hairs behind her ear. “I know the Chateau is the house I grew up in and it’s always been home, but now I don't feel like I'm home unless I’m with you. So, Val,” John B chuckles and quickly glances down at the ground before looking up, his warm eyes full of love. “Will you move in and make that house a home?” 

Sarah feels her breath catch in her throat. 

“B-but what about JJ,” she stammers. Everything inside of her wanted to jump into his arms and kiss him senseless after his ramble, but she couldn’t live with the idea of pushing her boyfriend’s best friend out of the house so she could move in. 

Her boyfriend shakes his head. “Already talked to him about it and he’s cool with you living with us,” he confirms. 

She feels the biggest smile spread across her face before grabbing the bandana and pulling him down to kiss him. Her arms loop around his neck as his wrap tightly around her waist. Every other thought escapes her mind except one: _I love him_. 

John B leans forward slightly, forcing her to arch her back. Sarah feels his smile against her lips and pulls away, breathless. Even with their height difference, their noses bump and they share a breath. 

Sarah opens her eyes. “Let’s make the Chateau our place, John B,” she tells him, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

His eyes pop open and he lets out a sigh of relief. 

“Really? Oh, thank God!” He lifts her at the waist and swings her around in the middle of the brick pathway. At that moment, they didn’t care if they looked like idiots in front of others. They were two nineteen-year-olds madly in love with each other who were taking a major step forward in their relationship. 

“Oh my gosh, put me down, John B!” Sarah’s grip on him tightens and he sets her down, laughing. They stumble for a moment, both slightly dizzy. 

He pulls her towards him and presses his face into her neck, wrapping his arms tightly around her torso. 

“I love you so much, Sarah Cameron, and I’m going to love you for as long as you’ll have and let me,” John B mumbles against her skin. 

She melts into him, curling her arms under his shoulders and resting her forehead against his neck. 

“I love you too, John Booker Routledge. I’m not going anywhere now that I’m moving in. I’m your new roommate,” she teases. Rising onto her toes, she presses a kiss under his jaw. “We should go. I know a spot we can stop for lunch an hour away from here,” Sarah whispers, dropping her heels back to the ground. 

When she sees him nod, she grabs his hand and gently tugs him towards their respective cars. 

“Let me send you the name of the restaurant. I stopped there on the way back to school after spring break.” Sarah pulls her phone out of her back pocket and leans her back against the Twinkie to search for the directions. 

A minute later, John B hears the ‘ding’ of his phone with the directions. He ignores the notification, stepping in front of Sarah and slipping a hand under her large t-shirt to rest on her waist while the other presses against the van beside her head. 

“I'm really excited for you to move in, Val,” he tells her, his thumb rubbing small circles against her skin. “JJ and I both want to update the place- renovate it a bit. Think you’d like to help?” 

Sarah’s face lights up in delight. “Yes! Oh my gosh, I'm so down to help! I already have some ideas of DIY projects we can do and-” 

John B holds up a hand. “Tell me your ideas when we get to the restaurant, okay?”

She nods.

He takes a half-step forward and places both hands on the sides of her face to tip her head forward. “I love you. Drive safe,” he tells her with his lips pressed against her forehead. 

Sarah playfully rolls her eyes at the reminder but doesn't complain. “I love you. Drive safe,” she repeats, standing on her toes so she can kiss him once more. 

~

The pair stopped at a small diner in Virginia Beach for lunch before picking up the main road that led to North Carolina. They agreed to split off once they reached the island since Sarah knew she needed to go stop at Tanneyhill to see her family. 

As she approached the beautiful white home, she began worrying her lip. _How the hell do I break this news to dad,_ she wonders. Landscapers glance at her from the flowerbeds as she slowly drives past them. 

_I wonder what hideous plant Rose selected for the flowerbeds this summer..._

Sarah pulls up behind the family’s gray Range Rover and puts the car in park. Nerves about how she would tell Ward that she was moving in with John B flooded her mind. She grabs the lock necklace hanging around her neck and nervously runs her thumb over the cool metal. The jewelry was a gift from John B- he gave it to her a week before she moved into her dorm last fall and she rarely took it off, save for showering or sleeping. 

Their relationship was built on an incredible amount of trust and love for each other, not on ridiculously expensive gifts, even with the large sum of money now in their bank accounts. The chain isn’t the most expensive piece of jewelry she owns, but it quickly became one of her most treasured items because of the meaning behind it. Whenever she felt excess nerves or her insecurities creep up on her, she naturally reached for the gold lock that rested on her collarbone. 

The first time John B put the necklace on her, he said that even if he couldn't physically be there with her at school, she would always carry the lock and key to his heart. His line was admittedly cheesy, but his reasoning behind the purchase made her heart skip a beat. If he wasn't nearby when challenges came up, ready to offer a gentle hand squeeze, a shoulder to lean against, or a dumb joke to make her laugh, rubbing the piece of gold reminded her that she was more than capable of anything. John B told her this every chance he could. 

“Alright Sarah, it's just Dad, Wheezie, and Rose. Rafe probably isn't even here. No need to get all worked up,” she reminds herself while grabbing the keys from the cup holder. She steps out of the car and walks up the driveway to the front door. 

_Pretty soon I'll have one more key to add to this set- one for the Chateau!_

“Hello,” she calls out, pushing open the front door and pulling her house key out of the lock. “I'm home. Is anyone here?”

A door opens upstairs. “Sarah? Is that you?” Ward calls out from his office. 

“Yep! I'm home!” 

She hears him tell the person she assumed he was on the phone with that he would call him back later. The office door closes with a ‘click,’ and the upstairs floor squeaks under his steady footsteps. 

Her relationship with Ward has felt a little bit off ever since she and the Pogues located the Royal Merchant's gold three years earlier. She couldn't explain it- he just seemed more distant from her. The fact that he was home to welcome her back was a little surprising, considering he couldn't make the two hour trip to Newport News to help her move her stuff out. He said something about a meeting that he couldn’t reschedule, yet here he was at home...

“Hi sweetheart, welcome home,” he greets her with a warm smile as he walks down the winding staircase. Ward steps forward and wraps his arms around her tightly. “How did exams go? Do you need help bringing your stuff inside? Where’s John B?” He rests a hand on her shoulder and glances outside to search for the old VW van. 

“John B’s not here right now, and there’s not much to bring in. I ended up washing everything I didn't need here before we left and put it in a storage unit to make it easier for when I go back in August.” The lie slips easily off her tongue. “And exams were stressful, but I'm confident the long study sessions were worth it.” 

Her dad gives her a look. “You didn't have to put your stuff in storage, Sarah. We've got plenty of space here to keep it.”

“Yeah, I know… But I won't need the extra sheets or bedspread or desk supplies during the summer, so why not leave it in a secure spot that's ready for me to grab when I move back in?”

Ward nods, accepting her excuse as the truth. 

_Thank God._ Sarah will take any small victory she can get from Ward. 

“I do have a suitcase and duffle bag of clothes in my car though, so you can help me get those out,” she gives the older man a charming smile. 

Sarah opens the front door and steps outside, with Ward following her. 

“Can we get dinner from The Wreck tonight? John B can pick it up for us if you'll let him come over to eat with us… Please, Dad?” She wraps her arms around her father's torso and squeezes him to make him cave to her request. 

Ward stops and carefully considers it. He rolls his eyes before answering. “Fine. But he’s not sleeping under my roof tonight.” 

“Thank you!” Sarah presses a kiss to his cheek before grabbing the backpack and duffle bag from the backseat. 

Even if there were distant moments between her and Ward, Sarah knew that deep down, he would do anything for her. Telling him that she intends to move out would be a challenge- one she’d figure out later. 

~

_Several hours later_

“What time is it?” 

Sarah feels around for her phone, which is trapped somewhere in the hammock she's sharing with John B. After a minute, she gives up searching and curls up beside him. 

“I don’t know. I can't find my phone, but it's late.” 

He pulls her a little bit closer and rubs her shoulder with his thumb. “I should probably go,” he tells her, yet makes no move to leave. 

“You don't have to. We can stay here all night.” Sarah throws her right arm over his torso in an effort to convince him to stay. 

After they ate dinner with her family, she grabbed the hammock she bought for college from the trunk of her car and they set it up between two trees in the backyard. They laid out beneath the stars and bounced renovation ideas off one another for hours. 

For early May, it was unseasonably warm, so they didn't turn in once the sun went down. The temperature dropped slightly, but it wasn't enough to bother them. Sarah kicked up the blanket resting at their feet and spread it over them. 

“But what about Ward?” John B raises an eyebrow. Ward Cameron liked him enough, but he was still very hesitant to let him stay overnight, even after 3 years of dating Sarah. 

“He said you weren't allowed to stay under his roof tonight. But we're not under his roof. We're outside. He can't claim the sky is his roof.” She gives him a cheeky smile and giggles before adjusting her position to lay on her side. 

“Ahh, I like your thinking, Val- look for the loophole. I knew I kept you around as my partner all these years for a reason.” Her boyfriend winks and playfully pinches her side. 

She slaps his hand away and glares, causing him to laugh. 

John B wraps his other arm around her and presses his lips to her forehead, attempting to stifle his laughter. 

“I love you, Val,” he says against her skin. 

Sarah closes her eyes and leans into him. She can feel her body on the edge of falling asleep after all the excitement from the day. Tucking her head beneath his chin, she lets out a content sigh. 

“I love you too, Vlad.”


	2. the bones are good (the rest don't matter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pogues reunite (mostly) for the first time this summer for some news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 is here, and all the Pogues are in this one! I love writing their friend dynamic, and I can't wait to continue to explore these characters as the story goes on. Hope you enjoy this chapter! 
> 
> Warning for minor language.

_“When the bones are good, the rest don't matter, yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter, let it rain 'cause you and I remain the same, when there ain't a crack in the foundation, baby, I know any storm we're facing will blow right over while we stay put, the house don't fall when the bones are good.”_

[ _-”The Bones” by Maren Morris_ ](https://youtu.be/gvPMVKUI9go)

“You’re absolutely sure JJ is okay with the idea of me moving in?” Sarah asked as they stopped in front of the Chateau. Despite John B’s reassurance yesterday after asking her to move in, she was concerned about JJ’s opinion and needed confirmation herself. 

John B circles around the front of the Twinkie and pulls Sarah’s door open. She shifts, her sneakers bumping against his shins while he rests his hands on her seat, caging her in. 

He shakes his head but grins. 

“Sarah, trust me. JJ is going to be pumped to hear that you want to move in. I’ve wanted to ask you since Ward and I signed the emancipation paperwork two years ago, but you and I both know he’d refuse to let you move out at 17, and I don’t think we were ready to take that step then. You spend plenty of time here, and sure, I could buy a huge house on Figure Eight for us with all the money we have, but that doesn’t appeal to me. JJ is the one who asked me a month ago if I was ever gonna ask you to move in, and if I had I known he was okay with the idea much sooner, this renovation project would be finished so you could live with us now.” 

The dirty blonde sighs. “I totally believe you in my heart, but my head still needs to hear the words from JJ himself.” She loops both arms around his neck and plays with his hair. “I do trust you, but JJ is your best friend, and he’s going to be affected by this change whenever I officially move in.”

John B opens his mouth to respond but a screen door slamming shut cuts him off.

“Hey, Vlad! Hey, Val! Are you going to sit in the Twinkie all day or what? I'm gonna need my hug hello eventually!” JJ Maybank stands in front of the Chateau’s door with a goofy smile across his face. He wipes his forehead with the front of his t-shirt and waves, a Red Bull can in hand. 

The couple exchanges a smile and John B gently squeezes her leg before stepping away so Sarah could get out. 

The blond-haired teen sets the drink aside and descends the front steps of the house to greet them. 

“Princess!” JJ calls out to Sarah. 

“JJ!” She answers, throwing her arms around him. A shriek of surprise escapes her when he picks her up and swings her around once.

“Thank God you’re back. Your man was awful to be around the last few weeks since he couldn't visit, but you've now saved me from his terrible mood swings!” He sets her back on the ground and gives her a tight squeeze. 

Sarah steps away laughing and watches as John B tries to slap JJ’s arm in faux annoyance. 

The blond darts away from him and runs behind Sarah to hide.

“So dude, did you pop the question?” JJ asks her boyfriend. 

Her eyes widen and she looks between the two boys in shock. 

_What?!!_

John B quickly realizes what JJ’s question could imply and tries to diffuse the moment by lightly shoving his friend away and throwing an arm over her shoulder.

“Yeah, I asked Sarah to move in and she agreed. She also wants to help renovate the place this summer, but she needed to hear it from you herself that you were cool with her moving in,” he answers while rubbing her shoulder and giving JJ a hard look. 

The tension dropped from Sarah’s shoulders, and he felt her wrap an arm around his back to lean against him. While he could definitely imagine spending the rest of his life with his girlfriend, he wasn't ready for marriage just yet, and he knew Sarah shared a similar opinion. JJ's question could have implied moving in or getting engaged. Based upon Sarah’s reaction, she must have thought he meant a marriage proposal. 

_Not yet, Val. I promise I’ll ask you for forever, but I want you to graduate first,_ John B tells himself. 

He’d get JJ back for asking the way he did. 

“Of course I'm cool with you moving in, Princess! I've been wondering when this guy would ask you for months now, so it's about damn time he grew a pair and asked.” 

Sarah lets out a sigh of relief. That was all the confirmation she needed.

She waves JJ over with the arm not around John B. As soon as he is close enough, she wraps it around his torso and the trio stands in front of the Chateau. 

“It already feels like home, boys,” she tells them with a quick squeeze. 

John B and JJ look at each other over Sarah’s head and grin before looking back at the house. 

_It did feel a little more like home now._

“Oww! What the hell, man?” JJ suddenly cries out, rubbing the back of his head. John B slapped him upside the head again as payback. 

“Mosquito. Didn't want it to bite you,” he answers with a smug smile. 

\--

“So I already have some ideas for renovating because I've dreamed of renovating a house for a while now, but I want to know what you guys think needs to be done here,” Sarah says as she sits down with the boys at the kitchen table. Her enthusiasm for the project was just as strong now as it was while John B and her discussed her long list of ideas last night. 

JJ starts the conversation. “Well, the bathroom should be completely replaced. It’s nasty as fuck in there. Probably should put an exhaust fan in there to help fix some of the mold problem. The roof also needs to be repaired since it sometimes leaks into the porch with the storm damage from the last few years. If we put an exhaust fan in, we’ll need to install a roof vent, so those projects could be done at the same time. I’m sure some of the electrical needs to be redone since I don’t know how old it is and I’d feel better knowing that fuses won’t go out if we have too much plugged in.” 

The couple nods in agreement. Electrical work was JJ’s area of expertise since finishing trade school. He now worked with a well-respected electrician on the island, servicing homes on Figure Eight and the Cut, so they trusted he knew what he was talking about. Sarah decides to pull out her phone and takes notes. 

“One thing I don’t want is for this to look like a bachelor pad. John B told me yesterday that he wants to keep some of the original feel of this place, which we can definitely do by repurposing things, but we should also try to breathe some new life into it. We can brighten everything up with new paint, restained cabinets, and some new furniture. We don’t need to make this a carbon copy of every HGTV renovation with everything in white or gray tones, marble countertops, subway tile, and shiplap.” Sarah leans forward and rests her elbow on the table to gauge their reaction. 

The boys stare at her for a moment before JJ leans over and loudly whispers to John B, “What the fuck is shiplap?” 

He shrugs, “I don’t know. Do you know what HGTV is?”

“Pretty sure it’s something Kooks watch on TV. I hear the homeowners I install light fixtures for mention it. Something about Chip and Jo, and the Property Brothers?” 

The dirty blonde girl shakes her head. She needed to educate them on HGTV if this project was going to get off the ground. 

“That doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that this house has good bones and we can turn it into something amazing. JJ, do you know a contractor we could call to come to look around and give us some advice?”

He nods. “Yeah, I know a guy. I'll call him now and see if he’s available to come by.” JJ stands up with his phone to step outside. 

“We might need to get new insulation put in, too. If not that, then maybe new windows? It was pretty cold here back in January, even with the heat on. I remember my Dad replacing some of the windows in our house a few years ago because they weren’t installed correctly. Wheezie’s bedroom was freezing at some points, and she needed to sleep in my bedroom,” Sarah reminds John B. 

“Yeah, it was... Do you think we need a professional to put that in, or could we do it ourselves? I want us to do the project ourselves, not call on contractors to do everything except when necessary.” 

Doing the renovation themselves was important to him. This was the house he grew up in, and he wanted to be heavily involved in the project to keep it as close to the original look as he could. He was ready for the long list of DIY’s Sarah was sure to have, the many trips to the hardware store for paint and wood stain, and to learn whatever the hell shiplap was to make this into their home.

“Of course, I think doing this ourselves is what makes it that much more important to us,” she says. “But what’s the point of putting in new insulation or windows if we install it incorrectly? We need a professional to tell us if we're doing something wrong so we don't have tile come down on us because we used the wrong glue or something.” 

John B chuckles, “Imagine a tile coming down on JJ while he’s showering.” 

“What about me?” The blonde heard his name through the open window, so he poked his head inside. 

The couple waves him off. 

“Oh nothing,” Sarah answers him while trying to hide her giggles. 

JJ shrugs and continues his conversation outside. “Cool, thanks, man. Someone will be here tomorrow to meet ya. See you, Greg.” 

He ends the call and steps back inside. “So, Greg said he can come by tomorrow afternoon to check the place out. I have to work most of the day, so can one of you meet him when he gets here?” 

John B nods, “I'll be here. So… we’re doing the renovation?” He asks, confirming with his girlfriend and best friend. 

“Hell yeah, we are!” JJ shouts, hitting his hand against the table in excitement. 

He glances at Sarah and is met with a soft smile and love shining in her eyes. She nods, “Yeah, we’re doing this.” 

John B grabs her hand and squeezes it. 

“Look at us, being all grown up and shit! We should celebrate tonight! Pope’s coming back from school today and we can call Kie to tell them both the news,” JJ suggests, taking another sip of his Red Bull. The more energy drink he consumed, the louder he got, and his voice was bordering on shouting, so the new homeowner decided it was time to cut him off. 

“Alright, JJ. I think you’ve had enough today. You have a job this afternoon and I don’t think your boss would like to see you bounce off the walls as you rewire homes,” John B snatches the can from his friend’s hand before he does anything stupid with his excess energy. 

\--

College was exactly what Pope Heyward needed for the last several months, but he was ready to return home. He met many like-minded classmates with a passion for science and discovery that rivaled his own, and his coursework challenged him. The change of scenery was good for him, yet he frequently found himself missing life on the coast. Fayetteville State University was about a four-hour drive inland, and he was looking forward to reuniting with his friends in the Outer Banks for the summer. 

As he and his Dad approached the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge three and a half hours into the trip home, he rolled his window down and took a deep breath. The smell of salt, sea, and sand washed over him; another half hour in the car, and he’d be home. 

Pope feels his phone vibrate from his lap. John B, JJ, and Sarah had texted him all morning, asking where he was and when he’d be back. One of them mentioned having some news to share in person. 

“Hey Dad, once we unload my stuff at home, can I stop by John B’s to catch up for a bit? I promise I’ll be home in enough time for dinner and to do the dishes.” 

Heyward laughs, “Already ditching your mother and me for your friends? I see how it is, kid! Yeah, you can go over to visit. At least come inside to say hello to your mother before you take off.” 

“Thanks, Dad, appreciate it,” he answers, picking up his phone to text his friends back. 

_**I'll be in the OBX in 30 mins. Gotta unload my stuff and I'll be over around 5:30. Can't stay long.** _

“So what are you planning to do this summer, Pope? You haven't mentioned anything about how you're spending the next few months at home,” Heyward casually asks. 

He sits there a few moments to ponder his answer. 

“I'll be hanging out with John B, JJ, and Sarah a lot. I'll help you around the shop when you need me, and a few Sarah’s neighbors want me to tutor their kids, so I'll keep myself busy.”

His Dad doesn’t say anything but nods his head. He reaches over to turn the volume of the classic rock radio station playing up and drums his hands against the steering wheel. 

Pope’s phone vibrates again, and he sees it's a text from Sarah: _**see ya soon!**_

He smiles and gazes out the car window. This summer would be different, but different can be a good thing. 

\--

As soon as Pope got out of the car and walked towards the back of the Chateau, he could hear Sarah’s laughter and a Marley song playing through the screened-in porch. 

“Knock, knock!” He calls out to get the trio’s attention. They turn around in their chairs to see who was there, and their faces light up in excitement. 

“My man is back from the mainland,” JJ yells, scrambling up from his seat. He pushes the screen door open and ambushes him. “Welcome back to the land of the Pogues! Glad to see you didn't get too smart at school and decided to come back,” he teases, tossing an arm over his shoulder. 

Pope shoves the arm off, laughing. “Of course I'd come back! There aren't waves to surf on when I'm inland.”

“So what you're saying is you came back for the surf and not for us,” John B calls out a few feet away. He stands up from his spot beside Sarah on the couch with his arms crossed over his chest. 

“I mean, I also came back for the trips on the Pogue, but I guess you all were a small reason why I came back,” Pope answers as he and JJ walk through the door. 

John B shakes his head and scoffs. “That's complete bullshit,” he says sarcastically. He extends a hand out for their handshake and brings his friend in for a hug. 

“It's good to see you, man. Welcome back.”

“It’s good to be back,” he answers before turning to Sarah. 

“Look at us! We survived our first year of college!” He wraps his arms around the dirty blonde and gives her a friendly squeeze. After struggling through the SATs and ACTs together, he formed a great bond with his best friend’s girlfriend. As the two college-bound Pogues (besides John B with his community college classes), they developed a great friendship while writing college essays, studying for admissions tests, and preparing for AP exams that continued into their first year of college. 

“We did! How did that bio exam you were telling me about go on Wednesday?” Sarah asks, sitting back down on the couch. They chat for a few minutes about the last couple of weeks of school while John B and JJ search around the pantry for snacks and bring out a bag of chips to share. 

The group catches up for half an hour before Pope looks at his watch. 

“Guys, I can’t stay long. My parents want me home for dinner and I may or may not have promised them I'd do dishes tonight, so what's the news?” 

A ringtone from Sarah’s laptop interrupts them. 

“Oh, it's Kie! Everyone circle around,” she instructs while accepting the call. She sets the computer on a table so everyone can see the screen and sits on the floor to lean back John B’s legs. The boys squeeze onto the couch and wait for the video to connect. 

“Hi, guys!” Kiara Carrera’s smiling face fills the screen as she’s met with a chorus of “Kie!” 

“How are you? How's South America? What country are you in now?”

“Are the waves better for surfing there than they are here?” 

“Where are you going next?”

Her friends bombarded the curly-haired girl with questions they all wanted answers to. She laughed at their excitement. 

“Whoa, okay guys! Slow down! I'll tell you all about that later. My signal is kind of spotty, so I don't have much time to talk. Sarah, your text said you had news? What's up?” 

With the limited-service she had in Brazil, she wasn't sure if or when the video call would cut off, so she desperately wanted to hear whatever news her friend had to share before she lost connection. 

“Yeah, there’s some news! So first of all, John B asked me to move into the Chateau…” 

“What?!” Kie’s jaw dropped. “No! That's amazing!” 

“Well, it's about time you grew a pair and asked her, JB,” Pope slaps him on the shoulder. 

JJ takes a drag of his Juul, exhales, then shouts, “She’s not going full-Kook, she’s embracing the Pogue life!” 

John B shakes his head, slightly embarrassed by his friends’ behavior, and leans forward to grab one of Sarah’s hands while his arm wraps around her shoulders. He presses his lips to the top of her head for a few moments before picking his chin up to rest on her crown. 

Sarah laughs. She’s thrilled that this little group of friends accepted her as one of their own and they were as excited for her as she was to take this step in her life. 

“But wait! There’s one more thing,” JJ informs the group. 

Pope and Kie give the blond a questionable look before turning back to the couple. 

_What else is there to tell us? Sarah and John B’s news is a pretty big deal,_ Pope thinks to himself. 

“Yeah, there is,” John B sits up and lays a hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder to squeeze it. “JJ, Sarah and I are going to renovate the Chateau this summer and we’d like your help to make it happen.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how do you think Pope and Kie will react? Leave your thoughts in the comments. See ya next week!


	3. (it's a big old) beautiful world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pogues react to the big news, Kie misses the OBX, and John B suggests JJ power wash the Chateau.

_“To see a full moon rise and a sunset fall, being out here in the middle of it all. Sometimes, it feels good to feel so small in this big old beautiful world…”_

_-_ [ _“Beautiful World”_ ](https://youtu.be/dofEt5y8EHQ) _by Kenny Chesney_

**_Previously..._ **

_“But wait! There’s one more thing,” JJ informs the group._

_“Yeah, there is,” John B sits up and lays a hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder to squeeze it. “JJ, Sarah and I are going to renovate the Chateau this summer and we’d like your help to make it happen.”_

Pope and Kie go quiet as they process the announcement. Silence fills the air as the trio waits to hear their friends’ reaction. 

“I’m sorry, did you just say you’re renovating the Chateau? What does that even mean?” Kie was baffled by the announcement. She could feel her shoulders tense up at the thought of the Chateau changing dramatically. Was it something Sarah wanted to do now that she was moving in? Were they going to gut the inside completely and make it look the exact opposite of her second home? As much as she had grown to love and appreciate the dirty-blonde girl’s presence in her life again, she wasn’t about to let her go all Joanna Gaines on the Chateau this summer. 

John B nods. “Yeah, JJ and I talked about it recently and we agreed that since I own the place now, we should update it a bit. It’s nothing too big. We’re not turning it into some Kook mansion with three levels and an apocalypse bunker in the basement, but we would like to fix a few things like the roof, get some new furniture, stuff like that. Sarah moving in will actually give us some direction of what we should be doing, and since she’s going to be living here soon, she deserves some say in how it looks.” 

Kie feels the tension drop from her body and she lets out a sigh of relief. 

“Well, I for one, am psyched for you guys and am happy to help out this summer to fix this place up,” Pope declares to the group. “You know, my Dad might be able to help out too. He doesn't get to do a lot of projects around the house since Mom refuses to let him work more than he already does, but I'm sure he'd be down to offer some advice or tell you where to look for the stuff you’ll need.” The young man stands up. “Alright, well, I gotta head out. Can't miss my first home-cooked meal back home from school or my mom may destroy me. See you, Kie,” he bends down to wave at the camera. 

“Bye, Pope! Tell your parents I say hi for me,” Kie calls out while waving back. 

“That’d be awesome, man. I'll let you know,” John B graciously responds. He stands up and the two do their signature Pogue handshake. “It's good to have you home, Pope.” 

Sarah stands up from her spot on the floor and hugs him. “I might have one more family who’s interested in tutoring with you. I'll let you know this week.”

“Sounds good. Thanks, Sar. Appreciate it a lot.” 

“Later, dude,” JJ calls out with a salute as Pope passes him. He returns the salute with a grin and pushes the screen door open to return to his car. 

After he turns on the old pickup truck, he sits for a moment and thinks about what just happened. 

_Holy shit, John B actually asked Sarah to move in. And they're gonna renovate the place. This could either be a smooth project or absolute chaos._

He shakes his head and chuckles while grabbing his phone to text JJ and Kie: 

_**50 bucks says JB proposes to Sarah by the end of August.** _

A minute later, JJ responds: _**doubt it. he’ll wait til she graduates, but you're on, bro**_

\--

“I should probably go too, guys. My connection is fading fast, but I’m excited for you guys. I do have one request, Sarah,” Kie says to the trio after Pope leaves. 

Sarah takes Pope’s spot on the couch between John B and JJ and tucks herself under her boyfriend’s arm. “What's that,” she asks while draping her legs over his lap.

“Please don’t make the Chateau look like Chip and Joana Gaines burst through the doors and dumped shades of white and grey paint, marble countertops, and shiplap all over the place,” the curly-haired girl pleads through the computer screen. “The Chateau isn't meant to look like a house on Figure Eight.” 

John B perks up when Kie mentions the paint and shiplap. He looks at JJ over Sarah’s head. “Those are the HGTV things Sarah was talking about earlier. Are Chip and Jo home designers?”

His friend takes a sip of the water bottle and shrugs. “Will someone please explain what the hell shiplap is?” he calls out, frustrated. 

Kie furrows her eyebrows and gives the boys a strange look. “What's their deal?”

The dirty blonde shakes her head, waving off JJ’s question for a moment. 

“Don’t worry about it. I need to teach them some stuff,” she casually answers. She then turns to look at her boyfriend, “But I do want a little bit of shiplap, so John B, we’re going to talk about it.” 

Kie watches as her friend’s eyes widen in slight panic and confusion. She and JJ both laugh at the sight. 

“S-sure, Sarah…” John B’s voice trails off. 

She smiles, knowing he would do anything for the girl sitting beside him. 

“Dude, you're so whipped,” JJ mutters under his breath. A notification comes through his phone and he picks it up. He reads the message, shakes his head with a smile, and types out a response.

“Well let me know how I can help out. I may not be able to do much since I don't know how long I'll be in Brazil, but I expect to see lots of photos!” 

JJ sets his phone aside and nods. “For sure, Kie. Hey, before you go, I have to ask. You're being safe over there, right? I know you’re a strong, independent woman who doesn't need her friends checking in on her while traveling across South America by herself, but I hear the news on the radio…” He trails off and avoids looking at the computer screen. 

“Who are you and what have you done with JJ Maybank?” Kie teases. ”I'm kidding! Believe me, I'm being very safe. I promise I'm with a group of people I trust, and if it ever gets really bad, I know where the U.S. Embassy is here in Brazil.” 

He nods, taking some comfort in her response. 

“Alright, I really need to go now. I miss you guys a lot, but I'm really excited to see the renovation! Who knows? Maybe you'll wake up one morning and find a huge package of home goods made by Brazilian artists on the doorstep,” she hints, winking at Sarah. “Bye guys!” 

Kie waves at the trio through the camera before hanging up. 

“I'd like to go to Brazil someday,” Sarah says wistfully as she wraps an arm around John B’s torso. “I don’t think I’d want to go now, especially since we’re starting the renovation and I’m working tennis camps once school lets out in June, but I think it’d be cool to travel there, maybe after college.” She sighs and tucks herself more securely under his arm. “So- dinner? What are we thinking? I looked in the pantry earlier and you two have nothing I can cook with, so please go grocery shopping this week.” She gives the two boys a hard look. 

The blond-haired teen looks down at his phone as another text comes in: 

_**Kie: I'm in**_ 😈💍

  
JJ lets out a quiet laugh, causing the couple to look over at him. 

“What’s so funny?” 

“Nothing, just remembered something I saw earlier,” he answers, shaking his head. _Guys, if it took John B this long to ask her to move in, I think they've got some time before he gets down on one knee._

Sarah Cameron came into his best friend’s life at the best and worst time. John B’s world was crumbling beneath him and even though he had the other Pogues to lean on, he desperately needed some kind of stability to keep his head above water. 

Stability and sanity became synonymous with Sarah. The Kook Princess quickly became the better half of the leader of the Pogues. He knocked down the walls and destroyed the bubble wrap surrounding her and taught her to seek out adventure and the unknown; she gave him a safe haven of unconditional love and support, which he had been missing for nearly a year, and taught him to step back and think about how his actions can have a ripple effect on those he loves. What he gave her in confidence, she, in turn, gave him in comfort and sincere affection. Sarah had John B’s back in a way JJ never could, even as his best friend. 

She wasn't John B’s security blanket. The dirty blonde’s presence enabled him to turn his life around a bit. His friend began to care more about school (a point which was a slight issue for him at the start of their junior year). John B got emancipated from Ward Cameron at 17 years old after proving he could take care of himself. He also became the biggest simp the blond-haired teen had ever seen. 

JJ is pulled out of his thoughts when he hears John B say, “I’m down for ordering pizza. JJ?”

“Yeah, works for me. You know what toppings I like. I’ll pick it up and we can talk more reno stuff. Cool?” He stands up and downs the rest of his water before stepping inside the Chateau to grab his keys and pick up their dinner. Before he leaves, he pokes his head out into the porch and points at Sarah. “I expect an explanation on shiplap when I get back. Ya hear me, Princess?” 

\--

Kiara Carrera has been traveling around Brazil since the beginning of the year. After graduating from high school and hanging around the Outer Banks for the summer, she decided to travel up and down the East Coast to volunteer and explore from late August to November. Once Christmas and New Year’s came and went, she grabbed her passport and flew out to Brazil. 

Early on, she connected with an environmental and conservation group along the coast. Between day trips to hike, visits to the variety of street markets, and hours spent surfing the waves along Brazil’s beaches, she assisted with beach cleanups, conservation efforts, and helped to hatch some baby turtle eggs. The volunteer hours were hard but rewarding, and Kie was so excited to spend her days doing something she was passionate about while exploring this beautiful corner of the world. 

Once she waved goodbye to her group of friends back home and hung up, she shook her head and smiled. 

“He finally did it,” she says under her breath. “It's about damn time you asked her, John B.” 

She sets her phone aside and gazes up at the orange and pink-hued sky above her. She can't see many stars with all the light pollution from the city yet, but it reminds her of sunsets on the HMS Pogue. 

Facetiming with her friends made her long for home, especially after hearing the news tonight. Kie missed the Outer Banks, but she knew she had at least another month or two left in her to remain in Brazil before she’d consider hopping on a plane back for North Carolina. There was still so much she had yet to experience in Brazil and she was eager to soak up as much of the country as she could.

Kie reaches for her phone to check her text messages. She saw two texts come in while she was talking to John B, Sarah, and JJ, but didn't bother to look at who sent them. When she reads the group message from Pope and JJ, she lets out a soft laugh. 

_Oh God, John B would do something cheesy like that and propose at the end of the summer._

She quickly types a response, getting in on the bet.

 _ **I'm in**_ 😈💍

A few seconds later, a reaction message from Pope comes in, sealing the deal. 

She missed her friends, even with the frequent texts and Facetime calls, and often considered inviting them down for a week or two to visit. Money definitely wasn't an issue for any of them anymore, but with JJ continuing to train as an electrician, John B’s community college classes and job, and Sarah and Pope’s college schedules, there was never a good time to ask them to come. They had more responsibilities now at 19, some of them, almost 20 years old, than they did at 16 when they found the Royal Merchant's gold.

JJ’s question about her safety struck a chord. While he was still the semi-reckless boy who would do anything to protect his friends, she witnessed just how much he has matured in the last three years. His concern for her was one of the small ways he proved how much he’d grown up. 

Much of the change was spurred on by his friends’ actions- John B cracking down on his schoolwork and getting emancipated from Ward Cameron at 17; Pope putting his gold money away for college and to help Heyward with repairs for his shop; Sarah deciding to follow her dreams instead of her Dad’s and attend CNU rather than UNC-Chapel Hill. 

Watching Luke Maybank fall further down the whiskey bottle and stumble around the house too drunk or hungover to function one too many times was the tipping point. He moved in with John B the day they graduated high school and never looked back. He promised himself and their little group of friends that he would never be like his Dad and swore off all hard liquor. The Pogues held him accountable and helped him find the right coping outlets to keep him from becoming like Luke. 

_**Is everything ok? Do you need to talk**_ , she texts him. The three-dot message bubble appears a few seconds later. 

_**Yeah, its all gucci. You sure you’re good there?** _

Kie smiles and types back her response. _**Everything’s great. Miss you guys lots. Surfing isn’t the same without the pogues. Thank you for checking in.**_

She gazes at the skyline and watches the sun disappear behind the clouds and trees while she waits for his reply. 

_**Pogues always have each others backs. I need a video of the waves next time you hit the water.**_ 🤙🏼

Her train of thought is interrupted by her friend Karly, who she met through the conservation group. “Hey Kie! Are you done with your call? A bunch of us are gonna go play beach volleyball. Wanna come with?” 

She twists around to look at the girl and nods. “Hell yeah! I need a rematch after Pablo blew the last game for us!” She stands up and walks toward Karly. “Let me change really quick and I’ll be right out. Who else is going?” 

While her friend lists out who else is playing, Kie looks down at her phone to type one last message to JJ. 

_**Going to play beach volleyball with a bunch of friends. Talk sometime this week!** _

“Okay, great! Give me a minute and I’ll meet you all outside!” she tells her friend before running into her room and grabbing a bikini. She quickly changes and pulls on a pair of shorts, slips flip flops on her feet, and runs outside to meet the group for a few hours of friendly competition. 

\--

The next afternoon, the Chateau is quiet except for the sound of John B’s fingers hitting the keyboard to his laptop. After Sarah explained what shiplap was to him and JJ last night, he was determined to deliver the item on her reno wish list. She mentioned seeing ideas on Pinterest, so he spent most of the early afternoon searching for “pins,” but navigating the website was harder than he thought. 

_I need to ask Kie how to do this_ , he tells himself, running a hand through his already messy hair. 

A knock on the front door pulls his attention away from the screen, and he stands up from his spot at the kitchen table to answer. 

“Hey man, are you Greg?” John B asks the man standing on the front step. He pushes open the screen door. 

“That’s me- Greg Foster. You JJ’s friend?” The man appears to be in his mid-30’s. He’s wearing a UNC baseball cap, a polo shirt with ‘Foster’s Construction’ embroidered on it, jeans, and work boots. 

“Yeah, I’m John B. Thanks for coming by. Come on in,” he says while holding the door for him. He holds a hand out to greet the man.

Greg steps inside. “So JJ briefly explained what you guys were hoping to do on the phone yesterday, but I need a clearer picture. He mentioned you wanted to do a lot of the renovation yourself.” 

John B nods. “Yeah, that’s the deal. My girlfriend is moving in, and we want to update the place. I’ve lived here for almost my entire life, and since my Dad died a few years ago, this place could use some new life breathed into it, and now’s the time to do it. I know there are some things we’ll need a pro’s help with, like the roof, but let me show you around and explain what we’d like to do.” 

The other man chuckles, “The roof was the first thing I was going to tell you needed to be fixed. With all the storms we’ve had the last few summers, it looks like it’s taken a real beating.” 

“Oh yeah. The summer Agatha came was a memorable one, to say the least, and that was the storm that really started the damage on it,” he replies. _The roof may have taken a hit that summer, but my bank account definitely didn’t._

John B walks Greg through the house and tells him about the ideas he, JJ, and Sarah have for the renovation. He mentions the bathroom vent and their desire to redo the entire bathroom; their plans to re-stain the cabinets and get a new countertop for the kitchen; the temperature in the wintertime; among other things, before bringing up his girlfriend’s favorite word: shiplap. 

“So before you got here, I was doing some research because my girlfriend really wants shiplap somewhere when this project is done.” He holds his hands up, “I don’t know where she wants it, especially since she agrees that we should keep some of the current look to the house, but she wants it, and I’d like to deliver. I have these wood panels covering the walls. If I took the panels off the wall in the kitchen, do you think I could sand them down and stain or paint them to fit what she wants?” 

The Chateau was covered in dark wood paneling from the ’60s and ’70s. It was trendy at that time but now looked old and outdated. After years of wear and tear from him and his friends running around and bumping into it, it was time for most of it to go.

Greg takes a closer look at the material and shakes his head. “You could certainly try, but shiplap is made up of individual boards spaced out ever so slightly. You’ve got the opposite of that- tongue and groove. I'm sure you could find some other way to repurpose it if you want to take it all out, but I don't know what's lurking beneath these walls. You're gonna need to get someone in here to test for asbestos before you do anything else. I'll leave you the number of a company I use.” He pulls a business card and pen out of his back pocket and leans over the kitchen table to write down something. 

“Here's my card with my phone number and the testing service I use for asbestos. If you need someone to come and reinsulate the walls, install windows, put up drywall, whatever, let me know. I know you said you'd like to do a lot of this yourself, but I'd be happy to give you a discount for some of the larger things you may need help with. JJ’s done a lot of good work on short notice for me and my guys, and I'd like to pay it back by helpin’ you kids out with your project.” He hands John B the card. “You’ve got some good ground to work on, John B. The hardwood floors are in pretty great condition, so I wouldn’t worry about that. Just make sure you get an inspector here to check for asbestos before you start anything.” Greg holds his hand out to shake again. 

“Yeah, JJ’s pretty great,” John B replies while glancing at the phone numbers. He sets it on the table and shakes the other man’s hand. “Thank you, Greg. I really appreciate you coming by and answering my questions. I'm sure you'll be hearing from us pretty soon.” He follows the man out the front door and towards his truck. 

As the man climbs into his pickup truck, he pauses and looks between John B and the house. “Get that roof repaired as soon as you can,” Greg suggests. “It's gonna get warm here real quick and no one’s gonna want to replace a roof with the summer sun beatin’ down on them. And look into a pressure washer. It's amazing what a little soap and water pressure can do to the side of a home. It’ll look brand new in a couple hours, and you'll feel like you've already made some progress on the renovation.”

The nineteen-year-old glances over his shoulder at the house. 

_Shit, that’s disgusting_ , he says to himself as his eyes move across the side of the house. The white vinyl siding could use a good clean, something he and his Dad never did before. 

As Greg drives away, John B pulls out his phone. 

_**Pope, does your dad still have a power washer? Could I borrow it next weekend?** _

A minute later, another car stops where Greg’s truck was parked. 

“Hey John B!” Sarah calls out as she climbs out of her car. 

He turns at her voice and grins. Pocketing his phone, he strolls toward her while taking in her appearance. She’s wearing a white blouse with embroidered bell sleeves that is tucked into a dark blue denim skirt. 

“I'm guessing you had brunch with your family this morning.”

“What gave it away?” She jokingly asks. “The outfit?” She takes the sunglasses off her face and places them on her head. 

John B wraps both of his arms over her shoulders, pulls her against him, and presses his lips to the top of her head. “You look amazing,” he mutters against her hair while she slips her arms around his torso to lean against him. Sarah presses her head against his chest and breathes him in. 

“Thank you. Wish you had been there to make it more bearable. Dad invited a business partner and his wife, and I had to suffer alone while Wheezie was at a lacrosse tournament,” she complains before taking a half step away from him and rising up on her toes to kiss him.

“Hi,” she says against his lips, smiling. 

“Hi,” he repeats, sliding a hand down her forearm to lace their fingers together. 

“Was that the contractor JJ knows that just pulled out? What’d he have to say?” Sarah tucks a few stray hairs behind her ear and looks up at him. 

“Yeah, that was Greg,” John B nods. “I got a lot of useful info from him for when we get started,” he tells her, gently tugging her towards the house. “He said that we’ll need to get an inspector here to test for asbestos before we do anything and left the number of a guy he knows that I can call. He also told me that we should get the roof repaired before it gets hot. He's offered his services if we need to install windows, put up new drywall, whatever we might have to do that we need a professional's help with, he can do, but almost everything we want to do can be ourselves, including the shiplap.” 

“Really?” Sarah’s eyes light up in delight. 

“Mmhm. We probably can't repurpose the panels on the wall now, but if we find something we like that goes, I'll make it happen because I know it's something you really want.” He grabs her shoulders and turns her toward the house. 

Stepping behind her, he points to the yellow-white vinyl siding. “Now hear me out on this- the siding looks disgusting, right?” 

She scrunches her nose and nods. “Oh yeah, it's really dirty.”

_We’re getting somewhere._

“Here's my idea- I'm pretty sure Heyward has a power washer we can borrow. JJ’s used one before, so we ask him to clean the siding as one of our first big things while we clean out inside as one of our first big things for the renovation. We could start next weekend.”

Sarah looks over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. “You're kidding, right? Do you know how much pressure those things have and what kind of damage JJ could do with it? Absolutely not,” she turns around and crosses her arms over her chest. 

“Oh, come on, Val. JJ isn't nearly as irresponsible now as he was three years ago. He’s used it to clean boats before without any issues. Trust me, he knows how to use one, we just need to borrow one from Heyward,” he explains, resting his hands on her shoulders while trying to reassure her. 

Sarah gives him a doubtful look for a few moments, which he returns with a hesitating smile and eyebrow raise. She sighs and rolls her eyes, shaking her head. 

“Okay, fine,” she says, caving. 

He does a celebratory fist pump. 

“But the day he does that job, I am parking as far away as I can from here. I'm not risking the paint on my car if he goes rogue with the power washer!” Sarah declares before pivoting towards the door to the Chateau. 

“Sarah Cameron, your Kook side is showing,” her boyfriend teases as he follows her. 

“Be quiet, John B. According to your bank account, you have a Kook side too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone pick up on the reference to one of my drabbles from "The Pogue Life"? If you haven't read that collection of drabbles, you should go check it out!
> 
> Thoughts? Predictions? I want to read them! 
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated. Messages to my Tumblr, alexandracheers.tumblr.com, are appreciated even more.


	4. (these are) the chapters of my life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah tells Ward about the renovation, the Pogues start cleaning out the Chateau, JJ gets his hand on a power washer, and John B and Sarah go to a lacrosse game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This is a few days late, but life and writer's block happened. I'm thrilled to share this chapter with you because it's about 3000-4000 words longer than the other chapters have been, so consider this a thank you for waiting on me to get my act together and finish writing. 
> 
> I want to give a quick shoutout to the reader that left me an anonymous ask on Tumblr after the last chapter. You made my day, and I appreciate your message! :) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy this one!

_“There's no perfect life, you can't hold back time. But you hold on tight, hopin' you might find every page you turn is a lesson learned. Ain't we all, ain't we all just tryna get it right? These are the chapters of my life.”_

_-_ [ _“Chapters”_ ](https://youtu.be/MF1flVBpG5w) _by Brett Young_

Sarah was home for a week now and with each passing day came new ideas to renovate the Chateau. Some ideas were quickly dismissed while others she quickly sent to John B and JJ. Many times, she would get question marks or “What’s wrong with the one we have now?” as responses. She’d either shake her head and think if the lock is broken, it needs to be replaced, John B, or make a mental note to do more research later. 

Her alarm went off early Saturday morning. As she rolled out of bed and changed into a clean tank top and shorts, she decided that she should leave some work clothes at the Chateau. She reasoned that if she and John B ever started a project at the Chateau that she needed to change for, she’d have something on hand to wear there. It would save her the trip home and the explanation to her Dad about her coming-and-going. 

She threw a couple of junky t-shirts and athletic shorts inside an old tote bag on the floor of her closet beside a pile of shoes and tossed it onto her bed to finish getting ready for the day.

After pulling on a pair of sneakers, she grabbed the bag, her phone, keys, and wallet from the white nightstand and hurried down the stairs and into the kitchen. 

“Oh, hi, Dad! You’re up early,” she greeted Ward as she walked into the room and stopped in front of the Keurig. He sat at the island with his back towards her, a cup of coffee resting beside his hand. Ward Cameron was not usually one to wake up early on a Saturday morning, so to see him in the kitchen at- she checked the time on her phone- 8:30 am was a little surprising. 

“Hey, sweetheart! I could say the same thing to you, too.” He turns in the seat to face her and takes a sip from his mug. “What are you doing up so early? Goin’ somewhere?” 

Sarah nods. “Yeah, John B is renovating the Chateau this summer with JJ and they’re cleaning out a big part of it today, so I’m going to help them out,” she explains over her shoulder. 

She swipes a fresh K-cup from the rack and tosses the used one into the trash can. After pressing a button on the machine to start heating the water, she opens up the cabinet door above her. 

“Those boys need some direction if they ever want to get anywhere with the project and I happen to be one of the few people they’ll listen to. Hey- do you know where my travel mug is?” She asks, rising onto her toes to check an upper shelf. 

Ward sets his mug aside and stands. “Have you checked the dishwasher? I don’t think Wheezie emptied it yesterday.” He takes a few steps forward, opens the dishwasher, and slides the top rack out. 

Sarah spots the bright blue travel mug as soon as he opens the appliance door. 

“Thanks, Dad!” 

She grabs it and opens the refrigerator to pull out her favorite creamer. The only noise that filled the air between father and daughter was the coffee maker as it heated the water in the reservoir. 

Her father rests his palms on the countertop and watches her slide the mug onto the drip tray, close the K-cup into the pod holder, and press the start button. 

Sarah could feel her Dad staring at her back. She turns to him. 

“What’s up?” 

Ward shakes his head. “John B has all that money now, and he wants to renovate that little shack?” He asks, the disbelief evident in his voice. “Why not just buy a new house and start fresh, sweetheart?” 

As someone who grew up living on The Cut, he found it difficult to believe that someone would want to remain there, especially if they had more than enough money to buy someplace new like John B Routledge now had. 

Sarah shrugs. “It’s his home. He grew up there, and the Chateau is special to him.” She leans against the counter and folds her arms. “Didn’t Mom always say ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’?” A soft smile crosses her face as she thinks about her late mother. 

“Well, the Chateau isn’t exactly broken, but it definitely needs some “updating” and I want to help. Besides, it’ll be fun and I’ll feel like I’m a little bit closer to Mom. And can you really imagine John B living in a big house over here?” 

She smirks. “You know him, Dad. He’d be so uncomfortable with all that space, he wouldn’t know what to do with it.” 

Ward chuckles, “Yes, your mother did say that a lot, but plenty of other people say it too.” He lets out a deep sigh. “Your mom would be proud of you, Sarah. I might not understand John B’s thinking, but if it makes you happy, that’s all that matters. Don’t get any ideas about moving out though! I’m not ready to let you move out just yet, sweetheart,” he teases, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. 

_Too late for that, Dad_ , she thinks, returning the hug while laughing softly. Breaking the news to him would be harder than she initially expected. 

“Well, I gotta go. JJ may or may not be using a power washer today to clean the siding and I probably need to supervise him. Don’t wait on me for dinner- I’ll probably be there all day and just get dinner for John B, JJ, Pope, and I at The Wreck.” She pulls her cup away from the Keurig, pours some creamer in, and pushes the lid on. “Love you, Dad!” Sarah rises up on her toes and presses a kiss goodbye to his cheek before ducking out of the kitchen. 

_That could have gone horribly wrong_ , she tells herself as she closes the front door and unlocks her car. Pushing the incident to the back of her mind, she climbs in and backs out the driveway to make her way towards her new home. 

_My new home._

The thought brings a smile across her face and a warm feeling fills her chest. John B and JJ were going to be her roommates in a few short months. Today was the first step towards moving in with them. 

  
\---

As soon as Sarah pulled up the Chateau and parked, she could see John B and JJ crouched in front of a small piece of machinery while Pope shut Heyward’s truck tailgate and rounded the car to speak to his father. 

“Hello, Miss Cameron,” Heyward calls out when she climbs out of the vehicle. His son waves to her and joins the other two young men. 

She grins and waves while grabbing the Dunkin coffee carrier with the boys drink orders from the passenger seat. 

“Hi, Mr. Heyward! How are you?” 

John B lifts his head when he hears her and looks in her direction. From the corner of her eye, she sees him stand up and jog towards her car. 

“I’m good, thanks. Are you here to supervise these fools today?” The older man gestures towards the machine and chuckles. 

“I don’t know, but I’m going to assume the answer is yes,” she admits. Turning towards her boyfriend, she smiles. “Hey! Are we power washing today?” She balances on her toes to meet his lips. 

“Yeah, Heyward just gave us a quick rundown on how to- wait, where are you going?” Sarah hands him the to-go coffee carrier and turns on her heels toward the car. He looks at her, confused. “What are you doing, Sarah?” 

“I told you- I wasn't risking the paint on my car the day JJ had his hands on a power washer. I’m just moving my car. I'll be right back,” she tells him over her shoulder. 

John B throws an arm into the air in disbelief but follows after her. “I thought you were kidding,” he calls out to her a few feet away while she climbs into the driver’s seat. 

Heyward chuckles at the exchange from behind him. 

Sarah rolls down the window and gives him a sweet smile. “Oh, I definitely wasn’t kidding, John B.” 

He smiles and shakes his head at her while she backs out. 

Heyward walks over and stands beside him. “Is she movin’ in, John B? Is that what spurred this whole ordeal?” The older man glances at him with his arms crossed, curious. 

The nineteen-year-old shrugs and looks down at the ground. He shoves a hand into his pocket while balancing the to-go carrier in the other. 

“Yeah, Sarah’s gonna move in. I asked her while I was helping her move out of her dorm. This place has needed some improvements for a while now, but with her moving in, it means we can get started on those renovations now rather than wait until later.” 

The older man watches John B as his voice trails off. A loving expression crosses the young man’s face as he stares at the young woman a few hundred feet down the gravel driveway. 

_This boy is head over heels for her. He probably kisses the ground she walks on,_ he thinks to himself.

John B pulls himself out of his trance when he hears the Volvo beep. “We could have started by now if someone wasn’t being a little brat and insist that she move her car away from the power washer.” He raises his voice and smirks at the dirty blonde walking towards him with a tote bag on her shoulder. 

“I heard that, Vlad!” She shouts at him, scowling. 

Heyward looks between the couple and furrows his brow. 

“Vlad?” He asks, confused. 

John B catches the older man’s look and shrugs. “Ehh, don’t worry about it.” He quickly waves the question off as his eyes return to Sarah, who shoves a hand against his shoulder. 

“I’m not a brat for caring about my car when JJ has access to a machine that could take the paint off it,” she mutters under her breath with a scoff. 

He laughs and throws his arm over her shoulder, whispering “I love you too, Val,” into her ear. 

Sarah rolls her eyes and slides the bag off her arm, passing it to him to take inside. He takes one of the cups of coffee out of the carrier for himself, hands her the rest, and watches as she approaches JJ and Pope, who are testing the water pressure on a lower section of the siding. 

Heyward nods and assumes that it was some weird inside joke the couple had. 

“Hey, thank you so much for letting us borrow the power washer, Heyward. I really appreciate it.” John B faces him and holds a hand out, which he shakes. 

“No need to thank me, John B. Your old man would be proud to see you stepping up like this and taking care of the place. Congrats on becoming a homeowner, kid. Let me know if you need anything during the renovation- tools, a truck, an extra set of hands- and I'd be happy to provide.” 

“I'll keep that in mind, sir,” the younger man tells him with a grateful smile. “If you don't mind, I'm gonna go put this,” he gestures to the tote bag Sarah handed him, “inside and we’re gonna get started.” He points toward the house and his friends waiting for directions. 

“Not at all, John B. I need to go myself. You enjoy the rest of your day and keep an eye on JJ with that machine for me.” 

“Don't worry, Heyward. We’ll keep an eye on him,” John B assures him. He takes a few steps backward and turns to jog up the front steps to go inside the house. 

“See ya later, Pops,” Pope waves goodbye to his Dad while taking a sip of his coffee. 

“Yeah, see you, Heyward. I can't promise that this thing is gonna be working when we return it later, but I can guarantee that we will get plenty of use out of it,” JJ jokes before Sarah shoves him. “Oww! What was that for?” 

The young woman says something to him that the older man can’t hear, but he could see the dirty look she gave him as he rubbed his arm. 

“Jeez, woman, you're not even moved in yet and you're already disciplining me like a parent,” JJ whines. 

Pope chokes on his drink mid-sip and tries to cover his laughter with a hand. 

“Are you okay?” She asks while patting his back between coughing fits. His son waves off her concern and attempts to pull himself together but fails. 

Heyward shakes his head. “Boy, you're gonna buy me the next one if you break the damn thing. I know you have the means to pay for it now! Sarah, keep him in line for me, will you?” He calls out to the dirty-blonde as he walks towards his truck to depart. 

“You've got it, Mr. Heyward,” she answers with a two-finger salute in his direction. 

With a parting wave, he climbs into his truck and turns it on. 

_Thank God Sarah’s there to keep those boys in check,_ he thinks as he drives away from the Chateau. _They'd never get anything done without her, even if Pope is the most mature one of those three._

\---

“What's the plan for today?” Pope asked John B once he joined him, JJ, and Sarah around the pressure washer. He was leaning against the side of the Chateau waiting for some direction from his friend. He’d stood through the power washer tutorial from his Dad with JJ and now wished that he brought a book to read to pass the time. 

“Right. So JJ is going to power wash the siding without damaging anything,” he gives his friend a serious look, “while the three of us start cleaning and decluttering the house. Emptying out closets, drawers, cabinets, etc. I'd like to start in my bedroom and the kitchen and do as much as we can today. Cool?” 

The leader of the Pogues pauses for a moment to think. He recalled a conversation a few days earlier about donation places but was struggling to remember the name of it. 

“Sarah, where did you say we could take the stuff we don’t need anymore? It was some donation place…” His voice trails off while he shakes his wrist, hoping to jog his memory. 

“You mean Goodwill,” Sarah and JJ ask simultaneously. The future roommates grin at each other.

He snaps his fingers together and points at her. “That’s it! Goodwill. We can make a Goodwill run tonight or tomorrow to drop off some stuff.” 

Pope speaks up. “What exactly are we decluttering, JB?” He has always been detail-oriented and needed direction before he started something. Once he got going, it was hard to make him stop, especially if the project wasn’t complete. 

“Old clothes, anything that’s clearly broken, stuff like that. We’ll donate anything in good condition that I don’t need anymore.” 

JJ, Pope, and Sarah exchange worried glances. The two boys silently dare the other to say something about Big John but the dirty blonde beats them to it. 

“What about your dad’s stuff?” Sarah softly asks. She has grown more bold over the last three years- not afraid to call others out for their bullshit- but also conscious of how to approach delicate topics like her boyfriend’s missing father. 

John B lets out a long sigh and glances at the somber expressions on his friends’ faces before gazing at the marsh in the distance. The question was reasonable, and honestly, he expected it to come up eventually, but it didn’t make dealing with the situation any easier. 

Getting rid of Big John’s stuff made his absence much more real. It meant that he was gone. Three years ago, John B refused to toss anything of his father’s because he firmly believed the man was still out in the world somewhere, alive and searching for treasure. He was adamantly against donating his stuff and pushed his items to the side to make room for JJ for two years. By the end of his senior year, he came to terms with the difficult reality that he was an orphan, even if Ward Cameron became his legal guardian before he was emancipated at 17, and the chances of Big John returning to the Outer Banks were slim to none. 

A gentle weight leans against his bicep, disrupting his train of thought. Sarah’s fingertips drag lightly down his arm to lace her hand with his and squeeze while her other hand gingerly grasps his elbow, pulling him back to the present. John B tears his eyes away from the water to look down at her and squeezes her hand back. 

“I mean, it’s time to go through it all. It’s been three, almost four years since he disappeared. We found the gold and he hasn’t come back. I accepted the fact that he was gone a while ago. Now it’s time I actually do something about it and clean out his stuff.” 

He pauses for a few moments before leaning down and pressing his lips to the top of her head. 

“Thank you,” he whispers against her hair. 

Sarah lifts her head to smile and lovingly rubs a hand against his arm. 

“Hey Vlad and Val, some of us actually have work to do today, so if you could go make heart eyes at each other someplace else, that’d be great. In fact, there’s a bedroom that I know you’re both very familiar with inside if you need it, but you'd probably make a mess in there and that seems like the opposite of what you said you wanted to do today,” JJ pretends to gag. 

When he sees Sarah’s scowl, he lets out a loud laugh. 

“Yeah, I know what you guys are doing in there when the door is closed.” He smirks and makes an obscene gesture toward the couple. 

Sarah scrunches her nose and makes a disgusted noise. She looks up at her boyfriend. “Do I have to live with him?” She asks sarcastically. 

He shrugs. “This is what you signed up for when you agreed to move in with us.” 

“Okay, but-” She’s cut off by the blond.

JJ’s jaw drops. “Hey, I was here first, princess! I was John B’s number one before you came along. This is what you get for a roommate, so take it or leave it.” 

John B closes his eyes and groans. 

This sounded like the beginning of an argument, which wasn't that uncommon between Sarah and JJ, but the exchange didn't sound like it was meant to start a fight. Most of the bickering between the two is started by JJ who makes some comment about her relationship with his best friend. The first few times it happened, he tried to intervene, which did more harm than good. He would pull JJ aside and tell him to knock it off. It took several reminders that Sarah is just as important to him as JJ and the other Pogues are to him before a friendship between the blond and his girlfriend developed. Now JJ just looked for an excuse to tease Sarah.

Pope shakes his head and pushes off the side of the house to stand beside his friend and observe the verbal tiff taking place in front of them. 

“They fight like they’re brother and sister,” he remarks. “Are you sure having them be roommates is a good idea, JB?” 

John B laughed. “They’ll be fine. She’s mentioned plenty of times that she has a better relationship with JJ than she does with Rafe. You know how hard it’s been with him and Luke, so if they want to argue like siblings, let them have at it. He likes annoying her for some reason.” 

Pope nodded in agreement. “So, should we let them wrap up and get started without them,” he suggests. 

“Yeah. They could be going back and forth for a while. Might as well start without ‘em,” replies John B. The pair climbs the front steps and enter the Chateau to begin cleaning out the house while the other two young adults bicker outside. 

\---

Three hours later, the Pogues stopped for lunch after cleaning out the living room and kitchen. The screened-in porch became their storage area- boxes of books and clothes for donation sat in one corner; in another, three cans of old paint that needed to go to the dump; in another, a pile of old or broken electronics had formed that Pope volunteered to drop off for recycling. 

JJ, Pope, and Sarah sat around the kitchen table eating when John B walked out of his bedroom holding something in his arms. 

“Guys, you’ll never believe what I found just now in the back of my closet,” he shares. He glances down at the contents of the box as he approaches the table. 

“What’s that?” Sarah sits up and pushes the plate to the side. 

Pope glances up from his phone and double-takes when he sees what John B is carrying. 

“Is that the memory box from middle school? I completely forgot that our teachers forced us to make it at the end of 8th grade.”

He nods, “Yeah, it is. I didn’t realize I still had it.” John B sits down beside Sarah and places the box down in front of him.

JJ reaches across the table and grabs a couple photos from the top of the pile. 

“Shit, what was up with your hair, John B?” JJ flips the first photo around to show the table and chuckles. The photo was from 6th grade and the three boys’ backs were to the camera while they fished along the pier. 

“Oh my God,” John B mutters as Sarah and Pope lean forward to look closer. He tips his chair back and covers his face with a hand, feeling embarrassed about his sixth-grade self. 

“Ohhh! I forgot you had a man bun for half of sixth grade when you refused to get a haircut! It got so bad that Big John dragged your ass to Lana Grubbs’ house and she chopped most of it off.” Pope pulls the ball cap on his friend’s head and messes with his hair. 

“Stop it.” He slaps the hand away from his head and fixes his hair before putting the hat back on. 

JJ passes the image to Sarah. 

“Aww, look at you guys! You were all so cute!” 

Pope nudges his friend with his elbow. “You heard that, JB? Your girlfriend just called all of us cute.” 

She rolls her eyes at the comment and looks at JJ. “How long have y’all been friends for? I know you’ve told me once before but I can’t remember.” Setting the photo down, she grabs the edge of the box and pulls it toward her to flip through the other contents. 

JJ stands up and thinks for a moment. “Since third grade, right?” He confirms with his childhood friend.

John B leans back in his seat and nods. “Yep. Third grade with Mrs. Parker at Kildare Elementary. And Pope joined us in 4th grade when the school district boundaries were redrawn.” 

The blond smirks. “The only reason I liked going to school then was because Mrs. Parker always had candy and other snacks in her desk. I tried to sneak in and steal some during recess once but Mallory McDonald ratted me out before I could open the drawer.” 

“I remember Mallory,” says Pope, fondly. “I asked her to the Fall seventh grade dance and she never gave me an answer, she just turned around and left me in the middle of the hallway.”

JJ and John B exchange a funny look. 

“Pope, you had just gotten braces put on two days before you asked her so she couldn’t understand what you were trying to ask her,” the Pogue leader says matter-of-factly. 

The young man makes a sound of protest but JJ cuts him off. “Dude, you whined about how much your mouth hurt for days once you got those wires on your teeth. You didn't even like Mallory that much. Everyone knew she had a massive crush on Ben Lands back then so I don't get why you even tried.” He rounds the table and slaps a hand against his friend’s back. “But she moved away after Christmas that year and we haven't seen that snitch since.” 

Suddenly Sarah gasps, and the three Pogues look at her in alarm.

“Oh. My. God. John B, is this you as a toddler?” She squeals as she lifts a photo out of the box and shows her boyfriend. 

The three boys let out a collective sigh in relief. 

He takes the photo from her and smiles. A little boy is sitting beside his much younger-looking father on the front steps of the Chateau. Fishing polls are propped up against the railing next to them and a tackle box rests at their feet. 

“Yeah, that’s Dad and I,” he answers as a wave of nostalgia washes over him. “He always took me out fishing, even at three years old. It was our way of spending time together before my mom took off.” 

He lifts his eyes and grins at the two boys. “Once JJ and Pope came along, he took the three of us out to the pier during the spring and summer for long fishing days. When we got to high school and bought the Pogue, I learned how to drive it and we'd go out on the water for hours.” 

Sarah softly smiles at her boys. “I think it's really great that you guys have these memories to look back on together. It's like a picture book of the chapters of your life,” she tells them while continuing to gaze at the other photos inside. 

They all nod in agreement. As stupid as they thought the project was in middle school, it was kind of nice to reminisce over simpler times in their lives. Maybe their teachers actually knew what they were doing. 

A moment later, her eyes widen as an idea dawns on her. 

“Are you going to do anything with these pictures?” She turns in her seat toward John B. 

Her boyfriend shakes his head. “No, not really. Why?” He stands to grab her forgotten lunch plate and sets it in the sink to wash. 

Sarah grins and gathers the photos spread across the table to place back in the box. “I think I have an idea for something we could do with them,” she tells him. Her smile reaches her eyes as excitement radiates off her. 

“Is this another one of your DIY projects?”

She gives John B a sly smile. “Maybe. You’ll have to wait and see,” she answers mysteriously. 

\--- 

Decluttering the Chateau was mostly a success. The Pogues donated a large pile of clothes, books, and other items to Goodwill. Sarah, John B and JJ now had a better idea of the space they were working with and started measuring furniture and rooms with Pope’s help. The only major hiccup from the day was when a bee flew in front of JJ's face, startling him. He accidentally sprayed the screened-in porch door with the pressure washer. It ripped a section of the mesh off the door frame and needed to be replaced. 

The next items on the to-do list were calling the roofers for an estimate, the asbestos inspector for testing, and buying screen mesh at the hardware store. John B called the roofers and inspector the next day and both had openings the following day, Monday. JJ volunteered to be at the house while the professionals were there. 

Monday rolled around and John B and Sarah were seated side-by-side on bleachers that sat along the sidelines of a high school athletic field. They were there to watch Wheezie Cameron play a varsity lacrosse game at the Kook Academy. JJ was at the Chateau meeting both contractors so they could cheer on her half-sister. 

A long whistle cut through the air, signaling to the two teams on the field that the game was about to start. 

Sarah starts lightly smacking her boyfriend’s forearm to pull his attention away from his phone. 

“Oh my gosh, I think Wheezie’s starting. Is that number 14 out there or am I seeing things?” She asks him, lifting the sunglasses off her nose to get a better look at the girls getting into position on the field. 

John B stands up and his eyes pass over the players on the field in search of a white jersey with the number 14. He spots Wheezie on the opposite side of the field from where they sit taking her position as an attack wing. 

“Yeah, she’s starting. She’s on the other side of the field,” he tells her as he sits down on the bleacher beside her and points toward her sister. 

“Of all the games to miss, Dad misses the one where Wheezie is a starter,” Sarah grumbles under her breath. She slips her phone out of the front pocket of her hoodie and quickly types out a text to Ward, telling him the news. 

Ward and Rose Cameron were out of town for a business trip on the mainland, which meant Sarah was responsible for picking her half-sister up from her lacrosse game after school. She didn’t mind at all, especially since she hadn’t gotten to see her play yet this season. It was the perfect opportunity to go and watch, but she was a little annoyed that her Dad hadn’t been to any other games that spring and the end of the season was approaching. 

“Ehh, it’s his loss, Sarah. Besides, Wheezie has me to cheer her on like a parent,” he jokes. 

She turns her head to meet his eyes. “How many games have you been to this year? I know you’ve been to more than just this one.” She raises an eyebrow at him from behind her sunglasses. 

“Let’s go, Wheezie,” John B yells as the referee sets a ball between the two lacrosse sticks at centerfield and steps back before blowing the whistle. 

Her boyfriend shrugs and slides an arm behind her back. “I don’t know. This might be the third or fourth game.” 

The conversation ends as their attention shifts to the action on the field. The first twenty minutes of playing time and halftime pass by quickly. 

Five minutes into the second half, John B feels his phone vibrating on the bleacher next to him. 

“Is that you?” Sarah asks, glancing at him. 

He picks up the device and sees that JJ is calling him. “Yeah, it's JJ. Wonder what this is about,” he thinks aloud as he answers the phone. “Hey, is the inspector there?” 

She shifts her attention from the game toward John B as he speaks to his best friend. JJ calling when they’d be back at The Chateau in a few hours likely meant that he didn’t have good news from the roofer or the inspector. Issues found by either one would set back their renovation timeline by a couple days, if not by a week. Based on the part of the conversation she was overhearing, it sounded like it wasn’t great news. 

While John B talks on the phone, she continues observing the game, listening closely to get an idea of what was going on at the Chateau. Movement on the field near the bleachers grabs her attention when she notices Wheezie racing down the field toward the opponent’s goal. 

“Go, Wheezie!” She jumps to her feet and watches as her sister breaks away from the defenders. 

She heard John B say into the phone, “One sec, JJ” before he stands up beside her to watch. “Shoot it, Wheezie!” 

A few seconds later, the teenager aims the ball towards the top right corner and shoots it straight into the goal. 

The other spectators clap or cheer for Wheezie as she celebrates with her teammates on the field. 

“Yeah, Wheezie! Great goal!” Sarah cheers, thrilled to see her sister playing so well. 

“Way to go, kiddo!” He shouts as she jogs past the bleachers to get into position for the next face-off. The teen’s goggle-covered eyes quickly scan the spectators in search of their cheering voices. When she locates them, she grins, clearly pleased that they witnessed her goal, before she refocuses on the game. 

Sarah high-fives her boyfriend in celebration before sitting down again. The referee blows his whistle once, indicating for the players to get into position. He blows it once more and the game continues. 

John B picks up his phone to continue his conversation with JJ. “Sorry, got distracted. Wheezie just scored.” He pauses and answers his friend. “Okay, thanks for giving me the heads up. What do we need to do now?” 

He’s on the phone for a few more minutes, listening to the information JJ is relaying to him.

“Well, it sounds like all we need to do is pick a start day, but we’ll talk more tomorrow. I think I’m spending the night at Sarah’s,” he glances at her, his eyes asking for confirmation.

Sarah nods and leans against his side to watch the rest of the game. 

“Alright, bye JJ.” John B hangs up and sets the phone down beside him. He wraps an arm over her shoulder to tug her closer and presses a kiss to her head. 

They're both quiet for a few seconds when Sarah speaks up.

“What did JJ have to say?” She glances up at him, curious about what the blond told him over the phone. 

He sighs, a slightly defeated expression crossing his face. 

Oh no. 

“Well, the roof does need to be replaced. That won’t take very long- two or three days max.” 

“Okay. And? What else?” Sarah was growing anxious the longer he waited to tell her what else JJ said. 

He doesn’t say anything and avoids her eyes. 

“Oh, out with it, Vlad. You can’t hide it from me,” she chastises. 

John B winces at her tone. “Okay, okay!” He begins rubbing his thumb in circles against her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her. “They found asbestos in the walls and ceiling. We can’t start anything else inside until we get it professionally removed,” he tells her. 

Her shoulders drop and she lets out a soft “No.” 

He opens his mouth to respond when another long whistle cuts through the air, followed by the sound of an air horn. The game was over. 

They glance at the scoreboard for the final score: 11-9. Wheezie’s team won. As parents and students around them stand and gather their stuff to depart, the couple sit quietly to process the news. 

A few minutes pass.

This was exactly what she was afraid of. Disappointment washes over before she realizes something. Sure, she wouldn’t get to move in as soon as she’d like to, but they still had time to get everything done that they wanted this summer. She was determined to make the most of the situation.

Sarah grabs John B’s hand and straightens her shoulders. “You know what? This is okay,” she takes her sunglasses off to look into his eyes. “It’s better that we get this over with now than wait to fix it later on.”

He tilts his head to the side, confused. 

She continues. “We can use this extra time to our advantage. We could start furniture shopping while they remove the asbestos, which will take a few days. Once the asbestos is gone, the roofers can come in and replace it. I’m sure there are things we can do to keep moving forward with the reno instead of sitting on our asses waiting.” 

Sometimes you needed to search for the positive in a room full of negatives. Sarah was optimistic that this would only be a small hiccup during the renovation. Once this problem was resolved, they could dive headfirst into this project with JJ and Pope. 

John B doesn't say anything but he stands and holds a hand out. She grabs it and together, they walk down the bleacher steps and towards the school building to wait for Wheezie. 

With each step they took, she became more confused by his silence after her little monologue. 

“So?” 

“So what?” He bumps his shoulder against her’s. 

“You haven’t said anything since I finished my inspiring speech! I don’t know what you’re thinking, Vlad.” 

John B shakes his head, chuckling under his breath. “Sarah, the only reason this renovation is even happening is because you heard the idea JJ and I had and ran with it. You’ve always been like this, and it is one of the many reasons why I love you. You’re determined and you want to see things through to the end. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t feel like I needed to.” 

He looks down at their clasped hands and squeezes them before he stops walking. She faces him and looks up while he takes her other hand. 

“You’re in control here. I’m just here for the ride.” 

His words had more than one meaning and she understood exactly what he was telling her. 

John B let her set the pace early in their relationship. It wasn't because he was lazy; he gave her control because she didn't have it in the past, and he wanted to prove himself as someone who prioritized her feelings over his own. 

This level of autonomy over herself and a relationship she had with a boy felt foreign, and when she felt her fears of commitment crawl up on her, it was John B who noticed and talked through them with her. They had many serious conversations when her first instinct would be to ghost him, but as they continued dating, that feeling disappeared. When she felt vulnerable and like her control was slipping, he took charge and set her back on track without taking advantage of her trust.

Past boyfriends didn't give her a voice. She was only a pretty girl on their arm. They might say they were putting her first when in reality, they were putting their appearance with her first. 

Some people (like her Dad) thought they moved way too fast for a relationship at sixteen years old, but she knew then that what she had with John B was incredibly special, and she still believes that now. 

His trust in her to turn his home into their home would be shocking to some, especially at nineteen years old, but it was another way he showed how much he loves her. 

Sarah rises up on her toes and kisses him softly. 

“I love you,” she whispers. 

Just as John B opens his mouth to respond, Wheezie interrupts them. 

“You guys sounded like parents with all the noise you were making on the bleachers at one point,” the sixteen-year-old comments. “It was kinda embarrassing.” She stands before the couple with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. 

“Hi, Wheezie! Great game!” Sarah turned toward her sibling, a wide smile across her face. 

“Okay, kiddo, no need to unleash the sass on us after a great game,” John B jokes. He drops Sarah’s hands and steps away to pick up the athletic bag sitting at Wheezie’s feet and gently tugs on her braid. 

The teen shoves him and whines, “Stop calling me that, John B. You’re only three years older than me. That doesn’t give you the right to call me kiddo.” She half-heartedly rolls her eyes but accepts the arm he throws over her shoulder as he steers her toward the parking lot. 

“Sure it does. I’m going to tell you exactly why I can call you that once we get you home and order pizza for dinner.” 

Sarah shakes her head and follows her boyfriend and sister to her car. From a distance, she can hear him teasing her while she fires back with a sarcastic remark. For someone who’s older half-brother was in rehab for a drug problem and who’s older sister went to college out of state, Wheezie wasn’t lacking in people to look out for her. 

John B’s relationship with her half-sister developed without any prompting from her. Sometimes he’d text Wheezie in the middle of the school day and ask if she needed a ride home that afternoon. Other times, he’d show up at Tanneyhill unannounced on a Saturday afternoon and take her out for ice cream. He showed up at her lacrosse games and cheered her on, even if he didn't understand the sport at first. 

It was the little things he did that showed how much he cared about Sarah and about Wheezie. Sarah didn't think she was supposed to know about it, but her sister was an avid Instagram story user, so she saw the ice cream selfies, Boomerangs at the store, and prank videos they'd pull on each other. 

John B showed up for Wheezie without being asked when she couldn’t be there and that meant more than she could ever fully express. He found his spot in her family, and she wasn't going to let him go anytime soon. 

As she got closer to the car, she called his name to get his attention. 

“Here, you can drive,” she tosses the keys to him. “Wheezie, you sit up front. I'll order the pizza.” 

John B catches the keys effortlessly and pops the trunk to put the bag inside. He grabs her hand as she goes to open the back seat door and tugs her forward. 

“The star athlete interrupted us before I could respond earlier,” he whispers in her ear. “I love you too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have any theories or ideas on what might happen next? I'd love to hear them! 
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are appreciated. I'm taking a little break from Tumblr, but I will continue checking asks and messages on it! My Tumblr is alexandracheers.tumblr.com


	5. home furnishings (doing things ourselves)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chateau abatement starts, JJ gets a spur-of-the-moment job from Ward, and John B and Sarah have a quick heart-to-heart in the middle of IKEA.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't originally planning to post this chapter today, but here I am doing just that. I didn't have much to do at all today for work, so I had a lot of time on my hands and decided to go for it and finish editing. There's lots of cuteness in this one. Enjoy!

_“If you wait until you have enough money to decorate and make your home your own, it will never happen. If you wait until you can afford to buy everything new, you are missing the point. It is the old, the new, the hand-me-down, the collected, the worn but loved things in your home that make it your own.”_

_—Stacy Risenmay_

The Pogues were not going to let the asbestos disrupt the rest of their renovation plans. Sarah’s optimism helped John B and JJ recuperate from the news and together, the trio planned out the next steps: preparing for the abatement, shopping for furniture, and picking out fixtures.

In the days leading up to the scheduled abatement, John B, JJ, and Pope spent several hours pulling picture frames, posters, and plenty of nails off the walls and passing them off to Sarah to clean and wrap in old towels or newspaper. Wall hangings, little trinkets, and miscellaneous items were boxed up and shoved into a closet for storage. Furniture was moved out of the Chateau and into a temporary storage pod in front of the house. They cleared out as much as they could before the abatement team arrived later that week. 

When Sarah told Ward about the situation the boys were in, he extended an invitation for them to spend a few nights at Tanneyhill. The asbestos removal could take 48 to 72 hours, and with their roof replacement starting as soon as the abatement was finished, they graciously accepted the offer. 

On the morning of the abatement, the two packed their backpacks with a few days worth of clothes, said goodbye to the Chateau, and drove fifteen minutes to Figure Eight and Tanneyhill. 

As John B slowed the Twinkie to a stop behind Sarah’s Volvo, a strange feeling washed over him. He felt like he was sixteen again, dodging DCS before Ward became his legal guardian. While living with the Camerons for nearly six months had its perks (namely living under the same roof as his girlfriend, home-cooked meals, a working generator, and a general sense of stability in his life), he decided he was ready to take back his independence and sought out Sheriff Peterkin’s help in the emancipation process. She was still on medical leave after a training accident but was pleased to see the young man taking ownership of his future. 

A few weeks after his seventeenth birthday, Kildare County juvenile court system emancipated him from Ward’s guardianship. 

Not much changed in his life after that day. He still went to school, lived at the Chateau, saw Sarah almost every day, and could take the HMS Pogue out whenever he wanted. The only significant changes were the lack of visits from DCS and Cheryl, and JJ moving into the Chateau on a more permanent basis. 

“You okay, dude?” JJ turned to him as he turned the van off. The blond sensed that returning to Tanneyhill was bringing up some long-forgotten feelings by his best friend. 

John B shrugs, “Yeah. I’m fine. We’re only staying here for a few nights, and one of those nights will be spent in Norfolk, but… I don’t know. It’s just weird being back as a guest. I feel like I jumped back in time to when we were searching for the Royal Merchant,” he confesses.

The blond slaps a hand against his friend’s shoulder and grins. “Well John B, that might not be such a bad thing. We became fuckin’ rich from that treasure hunt. Never forget that,” JJ reminds him. 

The pair get out of the van, grab their bags from the back, and walk towards the side entrance of the home. Sarah texted saying she left the door unlocked for them and to come in whenever they arrived.

The first person they saw was Rose Cameron, who stood at the kitchen island flipping through some papers. She glanced up at them, rolled her eyes, and visibly scowled.

“Sarah,” she shouts, glancing down at the paperwork in front of her. “You have visitors!”

“Be there in a second,” a voice through the vent calls out. A few moments later, they hear footsteps quickly descending the stairs. 

“Good to see you, Rose. Thanks for letting us stay a few nights,” John B greets her when she doesn’t acknowledge them. 

“You can thank my husband, John B,” she mutters under her breath. “I had nothing to do with this.”

Rose cared about appearances- her appearance, her husband’s, her home’s, and her business’s. When Ward became John B’s guardian, she feared she would be gossiped about by the other women at the country club for taking a Pogue in. She took control of the situation by buying the nicest clothes she could find for him to wear if the family ever went out and John B needed to attend. When Rafe went to rehab, she worried that the Cameron family’s name was tarnished. When Sarah refused to attend UNC-Chapel Hill and chose CNU instead, she ignored any questions about where her step-daughter was going to college. Instead, she lied and told anyone who asked, “Oh, she’s taking a gap year.” 

While her husband is usually an organized man, he failed to inform her of the house guests until this morning before he left for work, which left her scrambling to get the guestrooms ready at 7:30 am. She had no time to plan space for the young man to park his rusty old van where it would be out-of-sight for their neighbors or other friends that drop in to say hello. It was a small miracle she looked as pulled together as she did at this hour.

It wasn’t that she disliked John B and JJ- they were, by her standards, somewhat decent young men. She just didn’t like the way they presented themselves as reckless and messy teenagers. 

Sarah runs into the kitchen, breathless. She was in her pajamas- an oversized CNU athletics shirt and shorts, and her hair was falling out of a scrunchie. 

“Hi guys,” she greets them cheerfully. She walks over to John B and tucks herself against his side, wrapping her arms around his torso. 

Her stepmother's eyes take in her appearance and a look of disbelief crosses her face. 

“Really, Sarah? You invite people over and you couldn't be bothered to get dressed or brush your hair before they got here?” Rose scolds her. If the nineteen-year-old wasn’t going to put in the effort to look nice, then she felt responsible for reprimanding her.

The dark blonde girl shrugs and glances between the two boys before her eyes return to her stepmother. 

“I don't mind. John B’s seen me look much worse. JJ was bound to see me like this at some point,” Sarah lies. 

JJ had seen Sarah look much worse than she did then, but Rose didn't need to know that. It was bound to happen once John B and Sarah started dating. The mornings after a party at The Boneyard were rough for the Pogues. Most times, Sarah would crash at the Chateau with the rest of the group, and in the morning, she’d wake up warm, hungover, and still wearing makeup from the night before. 

The first time he saw the dirty blonde dragging her feet into the kitchen after a Boneyard party was surprising. She no longer looked like the Kook Princess everyone knew with perfect hair, makeup, and clothes; instead, she looked, surprisingly normal, despite the oversized t-shirt she stole from John B hanging off her shoulder, her hair a knotty mess, and yesterday’s makeup smudged around her eyes. 

“If you say so,” the blonde woman replies unimpressed. She takes a sip of coffee and continues to scan the paperwork for her latest home listings. 

Sarah rolls her eyes, annoyed by her step-mother’s attitude, before plastering on a fake smile.

“Come on, you guys are staying upstairs. Let me show you your rooms.” She leads them out of the kitchen and up the center staircase. 

“I’m so sorry about her,” she turns around and whispers. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but she’s been acting really rude to a lot of people lately. It’s not just you guys, I promise. She chewed out a landscaper a few days ago for uneven mulch in a flowerbed when the job wasn’t even finished.” 

The boys wave off the apology. John B was used to Rose’s attitude, and JJ didn’t care either way.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, Sarah. We’ll be out of her hair for most of the week anyhow, between us working and going to Norfolk. It’ll almost be like we aren’t here except when we get hungry and raid your fridge.” JJ gives Sarah a devious grin. “Speaking of work, JB, I can take the Twinkie with me today, right? I already have my stuff in the back since I left my truck at the shop the other day.” 

John B hums in agreement and pulls the keys out of his pocket and passes them off to JJ. 

“When are you getting it back?” 

“Should be getting it back before we leave. Last I heard, the part came in over the weekend so they can fix the recall issue,” JJ answers, pocketing the keys.

The trio reaches the top of the stairs and Sarah points her boyfriend to a familiar bedroom off to the right. She opens another door for JJ and gestures for him to step inside before climbing the third flight to her room. 

“Did your Dad put me back in my old room? Jeez, now I really feel like I’m sixteen again,” he jokes, tossing his duffle bag onto the bed. He wasn’t surprised this was where he ended up. 

“See ya later, JJ,” he calls out to his best friend as he passes the other guest room and follows Sarah up to the third floor. 

“Yup, see you, man,” JJ answers. A few seconds later, he steps out of the room and smirks at his friend while he ascends the stairs. “Hey, good luck with the shopping today, Vlad. Have fun picking out light fixtures and doorknobs and paint and all that other domestic shit that comes with being a homeowner.” 

John B glares and flips him off before continuing up the stairs. 

After stepping inside her room and shutting the door, he flops onto the bed and makes himself comfortable. She changed while he was flipping JJ off, and was in the bathroom getting ready for their day out. 

“Hey, Val?” He calls out, sliding his phone out of his pocket to scroll through Instagram. 

“Yes, Vlad,” she answers from the doorway, running a brush through her hair. When she notices his sneakers resting on top of the sheets, she puts a hand on her hip and narrows her eyes. 

He senses the glare without looking up and kicks them off. “Sorry,” he apologizes, giving her a sheepish smile.

Sarah shakes her head, muttering something he can’t hear under her breath and returns to stand in front of the sink. From where he lay sprawled on her bed, he could watch her flitter around the bathroom through the mirror. She opens the medicine cabinet door to grab the makeup bag stored inside and dumps the contents on the countertop. 

“Did you need something, or were you just looking for attention?” She meets his eyes through the mirror while she rubs moisturizer into her skin. Despite the teasing tone in her voice, she was waiting for whatever he wanted to ask. 

Throwing his legs off the bed, he stands and casually strolls into the bathroom to stand behind her. 

“Well, I always want your attention but I did need something and now I can't remember what it was,” he admits.

John B slides his arms around her waist to hug her from behind and rests his chin on her shoulder. He flashes her a cheeky smile in the mirror and she shakes her head in amusement. 

“God, your ADD hasn't gone away. Grow up, John B,” Sarah jokingly chastises him. She leans back against him, taking comfort in his presence as she gets ready. This was the kind of moment she was most looking forward to sharing with him once she finally moved in. 

“I have grown up. Didn’t you hear? I’m a homeowner now. And you said you’d help me renovate and move in this summer.” In a matter of seconds, the smile on his face changed from cheeky to a shit-eating grin. He was proud of himself for becoming a homeowner at a young age and would remind his girlfriend about her moving in at every chance he had. 

“Really? Are you sure I said that? Is that on the record?” Sarah pretends to think, her eyes sparkling. “Okay, you dork, get out and let me finish getting ready so we can go.” 

“But-”

“The sooner you’re in the other room means that I will finish getting ready faster and we can get going, okay? So sit your ass down on the bed and wait.” She forcefully turns him around and pushes him through the doorway, ignoring his protests.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answers her, slightly bewildered but kind of turned on. 

“Okay but wait, I remembered what I was going to ask you.” John B pivots to face her again. 

“What?” Sarah asks him in exacerbation. 

“One, where are we going again today?” 

Sarah rolls her eyes, annoyed since they went over this information previously. 

“And two, I never got my good morning kiss,” he answers simply, stepping toward her and leaning down to kiss her. 

“That’s not a question. You’re a total sap, John B. Good morning to you too,” she tells him warmly, palm resting on his cheek when they break away. 

“Yeah, but I'm your sap, and you agreed to move in with me, so you can’t back out now.” John B plants a kiss on her forehead and turns to wait on her bed for her so they could go out and start shopping. 

\---

Sarah and John B spent most of the day running errands and shopping for materials for the renovation. They picked out a new countertop for the kitchen, tile for the bathroom and shower, locks for the front and back doors, found a wood stain for the kitchen cabinets, and selected ceiling fans for their bedroom, the kitchen, and living room. 

By 4:30 in the afternoon, they were ready to call it quits and returned to Tanneyhill. Once they were inside, their shoes came off and the couple kicked back on the living room couch. 

“I kinda like that one,” John B comments over her shoulder. 

Sarah was browsing light fixtures on her phone and didn't realize her boyfriend was paying attention. She thought he had fallen asleep when he didn’t say anything for the last twenty minutes.

“Really?” She looks over her shoulder to question him. 

“Yeah, that copper one looks cool.” He reaches for her phone and taps on the screen to enlarge the photo.

“That's an outdoor hanging lamp. I’m looking for the kitchen right now,” she explains. 

“Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I don't like it and we shouldn't save it for later. The porch needs something besides Christmas lights on it year-round,” John B reasons. 

_Well, you’re not wrong,_ Sarah thinks. 

“Okay, but I think you should take it one room at a time,” she sits up from her slouched position on the couch. 

“Sarah, it's just a light. I may or may not get it. I don't remember saying the words, ‘let's look for kitchen lighting.’ Why can't you just save it for later?” He was confused by her refusal to save the item to look at later.

She lets out a frustrated groan and sets the phone aside. “Because.” 

“Okay Sarah, I can't read your mind. I know you're excited about renovating the house, but my opinion matters just as much as your's or JJ’s does.” 

“I heard my name! What’s up, Pogues?” JJ strolls into the living room, a cocky grin across his face. He must have just returned from the day’s jobs because they didn't see the Twinkie in the driveway when they arrived earlier. 

“Oh no. Are Mom and Dad fighting over design ideas? Whatever shall we do?” He dramatically asks before flopping onto the couch. John B chucks a pillow at him, which he easily deflects with an arm. 

“Ha! You thought you got me, but-” JJ taunts but he is cut off by another pillow hitting him in the face. “Not cool, Princess. I thought we were friends.” 

He picks up both pillows from the floor and sets them on the couch before directing his attention to the couple. 

“So what are you guys arguing about? Do I need to mediate? Because you both know I'm really bad at doing that.” 

“We’re not arguing,” they answer together. 

“Sure…” JJ raises an eyebrow at them and looks away. 

John B opens his mouth to respond but is interrupted by a door. 

The three friends turn toward the kitchen and watch as Ward walks inside, phone pressed to his ear. 

“Joe, I just got home and I'd really like to spend some time with my family. Can we continue this discussion in the office tomorrow?” The older man listens to the other person on the phone and tosses his car key, wallet, and sunglasses on the island. “Great, I'll see you tomorrow then.” 

He ends the call and leans his palms on the countertop, worn out from the workday. He didn't notice the three teenagers sitting in the living room until Sarah stood up. 

“Hey, Dad! How was work?” 

Ward looks up. “Oh hey, sweetheart! Didn't see you there.” He steps around the island and strolls into the living room area. 

John B and JJ leap to their feet, the former out of respect for the older man, and the latter following the other two’s lead, as he approaches. 

“John B, JJ, good to see you.” He sticks out a hand to greet both young men. 

“Thanks for letting us spend a few nights here, sir,” JJ tells him while trying not to be surprised by the strong grip in Ward’s handshake. When the older man turns around, he shakes out his hand, silently mouthing “Oww.” 

Sarah tries hiding her amusement and directs her attention back to her dad. 

“No need to thank me, boys. We had room and I was happy to help,” he answers. “Now I hear congratulations are an order, John B. Sarah mentioned you're a homeowner now. Congrats, son.” Ward rests a firm hand on the younger man’s shoulder while shaking his hand. 

John B grins. “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it. You're helping JJ and me out by letting us spend a few nights here while the abatement people are at the house clearing it out.” 

“Asbestos?” 

He nods. “Yeah, should take 2-3 days to remove before the roofers go in and replace it.” 

They all sit and make themselves comfortable on the couch or armchair. 

“So what's the plan once the abatement is wrapped up? It’s been awhile since I’ve been part of a home renovation.” 

JJ and John B exchange a look, silently arguing who would talk before JJ caves and speaks up. 

“The asbestos threw our timeline out the window and into the marsh, so we're taking it week by week. Once the abatement is done this week, the roofers will go in and replace that while a contractor I've worked with and some of his crew go in and put up new insulation, drywall and reinstall the cabinets,” he explains. 

Ward nods, then asks, “You're an electrician, right JJ?” 

“Yessir, residential electrical work,” he answers proudly. 

“I've got a flickering light in the master bathroom that's annoying Rose, and I can't seem to fix it myself. Think you could take a look tonight?” 

“Yeah, can do, Mr. Cameron. So anyway, once the drywall is up, I'll redo the electrical wiring and get the ceiling fans and some of the lights installed early next week. We want to get the basics wrapped up first and move the furniture back inside before we start taking it room by room. John B and I wanted to do a lot of this ourselves but because of the issues we’ve had already, we haven’t gotten to be as hands-on as we’d like,” JJ explains. 

“Well, sounds like you boys will have your hands full,” he comments. Ward was impressed by how much thought they were putting into the project. It showed just how much they had grown up in the last three years, and John B and JJ were proving their maturity to the adults who may have doubted him. 

John B interjects. “It might sound like that, but Sarah’s taken charge of some pieces to help everything look like it goes together. If JJ and I were left to pick out countertops or doorknobs, we’d pick the first thing we see and call it a day. She and I spent most of today looking at countertops, ceiling fans, and wood stains so we're ready when the time comes to get those items.” 

Ward chuckles. “That sounds like my daughter!” 

Sarah blushes at the compliment. “So speaking of me,” she says coyly. “Is it okay if I go up to Norfolk with them for two days later this week while they are at IKEA? For moral support and to keep them on track so they don't buy useless things they won't need?” She gives her dad a sweet smile and her most convincing eyes. 

“We need lots of direction,” adds John B. He catches JJ’s eye in a silent plea to make up an excuse convincing enough that Ward lets Sarah go with them. 

The blond picks up on his friend’s expression. “Yeah, I don't even know what I'm supposed to buy. What's a box spring and do I need one of those? I kinda want recessed lights in my room. Would that look cool?” JJ wonders aloud. 

_Thank you, JJ,_ the couple says to themselves sarcastically. 

“See what I mean, Dad?” Sarah gestures between the two boys. She silently prayed that JJ’s dumb act was enough to convince Ward that she could go with them. However, she wasn’t sure if he was being serious about not knowing what a box spring was. That was something she’d need to confirm later. 

JJ stands up and throws an arm over Sarah’s shoulder. “Mr. Cameron, I believe it’s in everyone’s best interest if Sarah came with us because John B and I have no clue what we’re doing or what we need, and Sarah knows more than both of us combined because of something called HGTV. Now, how about we go take a look at that flickering light before the Mrs. gets back?” 

Ward leans back in the armchair and considers his response for a few moments. The three friends nervously hold their breath, waiting for the adult in the room to make a decision. 

“It’s fine with me if you go. But I want separate rooms, do you understand, Sarah and John B?” 

They all exhale, relieved that Ward actually agreed to the trip. Sarah and John B eyed each other and nodded, but come to a silent agreement that they weren’t actually going to sleep apart since the opportunity presented itself. 

“Yessir,” they answer together, focussing back at Ward. 

Satisfied with the response, he stands up. “I probably have enough rewards points you can use to book the hotel and get a free night, Sarah.” He points to the kitchen. “My wallet’s over there. Use the Marriott card to make the reservation,” he tells her before leading JJ out of the room and to the upper level of the home. Their conversation fades the further they move away from the kitchen. 

Once Ward is out of earshot, John B leans over to Sarah. 

“We’re not actually going to-“

Sarah smirks and shakes her head. “Nope.”

“That’s what I thought. So JJ’s-”

“Yep, he’s getting his own room.”

“Got it.” He pauses and bumps his arm against her’s. “We make a great team, Val.” 

“Yes we do, Vlad. Yes we do.” 

\---

Later that week, the trio drove to Norfolk and spent hours wandering around the Swedish furniture store the first afternoon. Their plan was to spend two days in Virginia: the first day was to look around, try out some of the furniture, and make some design choices; the second day would be spent making final purchase decisions, loading up the flatbed of JJ’s recently-repaired truck, and returning to the Outer Banks. 

Sarah quickly immersed herself in the showroom displays and dragged John B and JJ behind her like children. At first, her boyfriend was interested in the displays but after spending almost half an hour in the living room section looking at only bookshelves, he found his best friend and began sitting on the various couches, sleeper sofas, and chairs to pass the time. 

“Dude,” the blond slaps his friend’s arm to get his attention. His eyes glance over the price tag attached to the bright red couch they were lounging on. “How the hell do you say this? Brathult?” He tries sounding the Swedish word out on the tag. 

John B glances at the tag and shrugs. “Hell if I know. I barely passed Spanish II.” 

JJ agreed, and the two quietly sat on the display couch for a few seconds more. He turns his head toward John B. “This couch is shit. I don’t think I’ve ever sat on something more uncomfortable in my life.” Grabbing the tag, he reads it again. “And this is a sleeper sofa? Like I’d ever let Pope or Kie sleep on this thing.” 

“I was thinking the same thing, JJ.” 

The pair wander to another couch and argue about the color, cushion comfort, and storage when Sarah joins them. 

“Did you guys find a couch you liked?” She asked while sitting on the couch arm and pulling a Hydroflask out of her bag. 

“We found something we didn’t like,” JJ shares proudly. “You see that red couch?” He points to the furniture piece several feet away and Sarah nods mid-sip. 

“Yeah, that one’s a piece of shit. It's like sitting on bricks. We’re not getting that one,” he declares. “This one, on the other hand, is pretty nice. Not too big, not too small, it’s a sleeper sofa, pretty comfortable… it checks off all my wants for a couch.” 

The dark blonde raises an eyebrow, surprised by the effort he put into selecting a piece of furniture. 

She turns to her boyfriend. “What do you think?” 

“Everything JJ said was what I was thinking,” John B gazes up at her and confirms. 

“Alright, let me try this for myself,” she announces before standing up and squeezing herself between the two boys. 

Sarah leans back and crosses her arms over her chest. She pursed her lips before tapping JJ’s arm. 

“I need you to stand up for a minute,” she orders while setting her purse on the floor.

He looks bewildered at the request. “Why me and not JB?” 

She quietly tells John B to stretch out on the couch before turning back to him. “Because last time I checked, I took naps and curled up to watch movies on the couch with John B, not you, JJ,” she states matter-of-factly. 

“Yeah JJ, let me try to cuddle with my girl on what could be our new couch.” The dark-haired teen tries kicking his friend off and pulls Sarah back to lay beside him. 

JJ stands and scoffs. “Get fucked, both of you,” he mutters under his breath. “I’m going to look at the beds. Can we get meatballs once we’re done? I’m hungry.” 

Sarah lifts her head from its spot on John B’s chest. Her eyebrows furrowed together, confused. “JJ, you're nineteen. You're an adult. You can make your own decisions, like when you want to eat.” 

The blond looks away and nervously glances at the ceiling. “Yeah, but you’re like, the woman of the house now, and you act like a mom sometimes when you tell me to eat my vegetables and to not spend money on ‘silly’ things like another hot tub so I feel like I need your permission to do things…” his voice trails off at the end of his confession. 

The young woman shakes her head. “Oh my God,” she whispers under her breath in disbelief and slight amusement. She pushes herself off John B and sits up, smirking. 

“Alright, John B. You heard him. Our little JJ is hungry and needs to eat before he gets cranky,” she teases. 

“Can you blame me? There’s signs up everywhere for them and I’m hungry,” he argues. “Now I’m done here, so I’m gonna go to the bedrooms, pick out a bed, and get me some food. See ya, mom and dad.” JJ pivots away from them and follows the arrows on the floor toward the next section of furniture displays. 

Their eyes follow him until he disappears around a corner. 

“Am I really acting more like a parent than a friend, John B?” Sarah asks as he straightens himself up on the couch. Her question is laced with worry and John B immediately picks up on it. 

“He knows you care, Sarah,” he tells her, pressing his lips against her temple. “He’s never had a girl really care about his well-being besides Kie, and she’s been our friend for years. As much as he hates talking about it, I know he wishes his mom hadn’t taken off. We all have at least one shitty parent or adult in our life.” 

Sarah quietly laughs and leans against him, taking comfort in his warmth and honesty. The statement was true: Rose was the stepmother who came into her life less than a year after her mother died; her dad was acting strange with his hot and cold behavior toward her; John B’s mom took off at a young age; Big John cared more about searching for gold later in life than his own child; JJ couldn’t remember his mother and his dad was an abusive alcoholic. 

The few supportive adults in their lives were there for a reason. Kie’s parents, although they saw differently from their daughter, supported her unceasingly. Pope’s family looked out for the two boys like their own son. Sheriff Peterkin, despite her tough exterior and semi-frequent drop-ins at the Chateau, had John B’s safety and best interests at heart. 

“We’re not our parents,” John B reminds her. He squeezes her waist and tugs her ever-so-slightly closer to him. 

She meets his eyes and smiles. “We’re not our parents,” she echos. “And we won’t be like them in the future.” 

Her words are a promise: one to herself and one to John B of what their future could hold several years down the road. 

They are broken out of their bubble when a toddler runs past them, giggling as his father pretends to chase after him. 

“I think that’s our cue to go chase after our ‘little boy’ now,” John B jokes. His dark brown eyes follow the parent and child to the end of the display before returning to Sarah. He stands and holds a hand out for her to grab. 

Sarah feels her stomach drop and her face grows serious. “Please don’t joke about that, John B. I’m not going to be a mom for several years. I don’t care what JJ calls us.” 

He laughs and pulls her to her feet. “I hear you loud and clear. I want you to myself for a little while longer anyway,” he admits while wrapping an arm around his waist and leading her onto the main walkway to continue their shopping trip. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love Jarah B. They make my heart very happy. <3 
> 
> Not sure when the next chapter will be up since I start grad classes again next week, but I have ideas and will continue writing as they come to me! 
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are always appreciated. I'm taking a little break from Tumblr, but I will continue checking asks and messages on it. My Tumblr is alexandracheers.tumblr.com. 
> 
> Have a great rest of the week!


	6. tear down the walls (to build them up and make a home)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The roommates return to the OBX, Pope accidentally reveals something big, and Sarah has an important discussion with Ward. 
> 
> Warning: some foul language

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey friends! So I realized a few weeks ago that I didn't have chapter notes on the first few chapters of this fic, so I'm planning to back and add some more background info to clear a few things up! 
> 
> This chapter took some extra time because I wanted to give Pope, JJ, and Kie some screen time and I had to make sure their dialogue felt realistic. Hope you like it!

_“I can build a home out of anything: buttons, bells, postage stamps, bloody noses, empty ativan bottles, good news, bad news, bellyaches, orange peels, elevator music, or the inexorable fate that takes many, makes few._

_I can build a home with an artful thumb and an infinite fuse.”_

_\- excerpt from[ I Can Build a Home Out of Anything](https://medium.com/girl-in-retrograde/napowrimo-day-5-i-can-build-a-home-out-of-anything-c4df2aaf7025) by Elizabeth Burnam_

\---

Pope leaned against the side of his car outside the Chateau, scrolling through a news article on his phone when a car horn blares, startling him. The device slips out of his hand and lands in the dirt. 

He bends over to pick it up and scowls when he sees JJ pulling up in his pickup truck, laughing, followed closely by Sarah and John B in her Volvo. 

“That was a shitty hello, JJ,” Pope calls out once the blond climbs out the truck and approaches him. He brushes the dust off the device before slipping it into his pocket and glaring. 

“You know you missed me, Pope, even if I was only gone for a day,” JJ teases. 

It was 4 pm in the Outer Banks and the trio of soon-to-be roommates had returned from their overnight trip to Norfolk, Virginia. They purchased a pullout couch, two nightstands for John B and Sarah, a bed frame for JJ, and a side table for the living room, which were loaded into the flatbed of JJ’s truck. 

As soon as John B turned the Volvo off, he threw the driver’s door open, climbed out, and let out a loud sigh of relief. 

“Oh, quit being so overdramatic, will you? It’s my car, so it’s my music choice.” Sarah rolls her eyes as she opens and closes the passenger door. 

Her boyfriend raises his eyebrows. “But I was the driver,” he argues, circling around the front of the car to meet her.

Pope crosses his arms over his chest. “What’s up with them,” he asks JJ, nodding his head toward John B and Sarah.

The blond shrugs. “I’m gonna take a wild guess and assume she made him listen to country music on the way back.” 

He glances between JJ and the couple. “And? What’s so bad about that?” 

The electrician huffs out a short laugh. “See, when Sarah went to college, she had decent taste in country music. It wasn’t all that pop crossover shit. Somewhere along the way, she got into Sam Hunt, who, in my and JB’s opinion, is not country. He’s country rap, also known as crap.” 

Pope nods, then remembers something he noticed a few days earlier. 

“Hey, have you noticed anything different about Sarah and JB recently? She hasn’t moved in yet but she’s acting- or maybe it's both of them - I don’t know, like more, domestic? I don’t know how else to describe it without sounding like I’m demeaning her, which I’m not trying to do at all!” 

The two continue to watch them quietly argue when the dirty blonde wraps her arms around the taller boy’s torso and rests her chin on his chest. A goofy smile crosses John B’s face- a combination of love and affection mixed with his signature sap- as he wraps his arms around her. Both make a sound of disgust at the display and turn away from them. 

“I’m pretty sure they’ve reentered the honeymoon stage, except this time, they’re going to live together, so both of them are acting more cutesy and shit. It's disgusting and I'll have to live with them.” 

JJ blanches at the thought. Sure, they were perfect for each other. But the constant PDA made him want to gag. Ground rules would need to be set for the couple when the time came. 

“Oh, I have some stuff to tell you and Kie from the trip. We also need to talk about that bet. You busy tomorrow? We can call her while I'm doing electrical if Greg gives me the go-ahead. Vlad and Val are gonna be out for something so we won't be caught.” 

“You got it, man. I'll be here after tutoring,” Pope tells him. He holds his hand out and they bump their fists together for the Pogue handshake. 

JJ looks over his shoulder. “Hey- cut the PDA out. I need to see where Greg’s at with the drywall tonight so I can start electrical tomorrow morning and I can’t do that with you two mackin’ on each other while I’m talkin’ to him, professional to professional. Can you keep it in your pants for a little while longer, man?” He directs the question to his best friend, who lifts his arms off Sarah’s waist, feigning innocence. 

“Yep, yeah sure. Got it, JJ,” John B answers, clearing his throat. He runs a hand through his hair. 

“So, are we allowed inside?” The homeowner glances at the others. 

The blond lifts his chin and gestures toward the house. “C’mon. Let’s see if Greg’ll let us in.” 

The sight that greeted the Pogues when they stepped through the doorway was startling. 

“Whoa,” they mutter in awe. Their eyes take in the change in the Chateau’s interior. The walls and ceiling that was once covered in dark wood paneling was now gone, and in its place was white drywall or pink insulation tucked between support beams. 

JJ and Pope quickly snap out of their daze and greet Greg, who was installing a section of drywall with a crew member in the kitchen, leaving John B and Sarah behind. 

“Holy shit,” the homeowner whispers, his grip on her waist tightening. He doesn't move from the spot in the doorway as his brown eyes travel around the living room, dining room, and kitchen. It looked so different from what he grew up with, and the change was shocking. 

She whips her head around to look up in concern. “You okay?” She asks under her breath. 

A grin gradually spreads across his face. “We’re actually doing this,” he tells himself quietly. John B meets her eyes. “We’re really making this our place.” 

Sarah bites her lip to suppress the overwhelming joy that threatened to burst from her chest. The work already completed would bring them one step closer to making his childhood home _their_ place. In a few weeks, the dream would become a reality. 

She returns his grin before balancing on her toes, resting a palm on his cheek, and tugging him down to passionately kiss him. 

This was their future- this little fish shack on the Cut they were making their own, with two of their best friends standing a few feet from them,and the third several thousand miles away in Brazil but only a phone call away. This is their own little family. Blood and DNA didn't define the Pogues’ bond: friendship and the adventure of a lifetime and several million dollars in gold connected them. 

Even if all their gold money was stripped away, they still have the Pogues and they have each other. No one or no thing could destroy the bond or the novel-worthy adventure and love story they wrote in the sand of the Outer Banks three summers ago. 

Every kind of emotion- love, shock, excitement, worry, joy- coursed through her veins as John B pulled her impossibly closer and leaned into her further, forcing her back to arch. There was no intent, no hurry, of going any further despite the passion they both felt at that moment, yet Sarah felt every emotion of his pouring through her inside their bubble. The future was scary as fuck, but it was just a little bit clearer when she imagined it with John B. 

“Hey! What’d I say about mackin’ on the site, you two?” 

_Well, there goes the bubble._

The couple separates at JJ’s question. John B drops his forehead to rest against her shoulder and lets out an annoyed groan before tucking his face into Sarah’s collarbone. The dark blonde closes her eyes while catching her breath and starts running her fingers through his messy locks. 

“I love you,” she whispers for only him to hear. Their little bubble returned for a brief moment, shutting out JJ’s gagging noises. John B's eyes open to meet her soft gaze and catches a smile quirk at the corner of her mouth. Her lips are swollen and cheeks are flushed, but her brown eyes tell him she's not embarrassed. 

John B presses a kiss to her collarbone before straightening his back and facing the others.

“Hey Greg, good to see you again,” he greets the contractor, who nods at him. 

He then faces the blond. 

“Shut the fuck up, JJ. Why can't you just let us have our moment?” 

The words are sharp and surprise JJ, who’s eyes widen, then swiftly narrow.

The dark-haired young man guides Sarah into the room with a hand resting on her back and gives his friend a hard look as they approach Greg. 

“Oh look at us, we’re in love and happy and not dead inside. Get fucked, both of you,” JJ mutters under his breath while rolling his eyes. 

Pope holds back a laugh and looks anywhere but at his friends. The blond’s Vine reference wasn't said as quietly as he probably thought. 

It wasn't that JJ found the couple's public displays of affection to be disgusting (most of the time). It bothered him that they couldn't keep their hands to themselves for at least five minutes to talk to Greg about the work that was done for the house, John B’s house. His professional reputation was momentarily at stake because of their inability to act like grown-ups. 

_Did I really just think that? Shit._

He was happy they had each other. If he wasn't dead set on straightening out his life by swearing off serious relationships and alcohol for the next few years, he’d want to find his Sarah Cameron, but the idea of settling down at 19 with your high school sweetheart was mind-boggling. 

JJ turns to the contractor. “I'm really sorry you had to see... whatever that was.” He waves a hand at the couple and grimaces. “I told them before we came inside they weren't allowed start making out in front of us but-” 

Greg holds a hand up, cutting him off, and chuckles. 

“Kid, I don't mind. They're not the first couple I've seen get excited about a renovation and they're certainly not the last.” 

He quickly eyes Sarah and John B as they approach. “They are probably the youngest couple I've seen ever pay for work like this. Speaking of, how the hell are you even able to pay for this kind of work? John B, you're what, twenty-one? Twenty-two?”

The homeowner’s eyes widened. 

_Fuck._

He was not expecting the question at all. 

“Uhh,” he exchanges glances with Pope and JJ, hoping they might help him come up with a decent excuse on the spot. 

Pope shrugs his shoulders while JJ mouths “deny, deny, deny.” Neither was being very helpful. It was a miracle they managed to find the gold despite the poor example of their quick thinking. 

He could feel Sarah nervously suck in a deep breath. 

“It was an inheritance. Rich uncle, no kids, so he left a bunch of money for me in the will. Ya know how it is,” he answers casually. 

The lie must be convincing enough because Greg appears to buy it. Pope and JJ silently pump their fists in celebration behind him. His girlfriend lets out a sigh of relief and leans against him.

“And I'm nineteen,” John B informs the contractor, who was surprised at that fact. 

“Well you’re definitely the youngest client I’ve ever done work for,” Greg states before turning to face Sarah. “I don’t think we’ve met...” 

“Hi, I'm Sarah.” The dark blonde girl greets the contractor with a warm smile in an attempt to redirect the conversation. “You must be Greg. JJ mentioned he’s worked with you before on some other houses.” 

“Nice to meet you. I'd shake your hand but it's covered in drywall dust. You must be the girlfriend John B mentioned wanting to put shiplap in for when I came by a few weeks ago.” 

“Yeah, that would be me,” she answers while her eyes slowly travel up the bare walls and ceiling. “This is crazy. The room looks and feels so much bigger now,” Sarah admits, her voice filled with awe. She steps out from under John B’s arm to stand in the center of the room and turns around slowly. 

A thoughtful expression crosses her face as a side conversation strikes between JJ, Pope, John B, and Greg. 

JJ catches the look while he half-listened to the other men speaking about the drywall process. . 

“Whatcha thinking about, Princess,” he questions. 

The conversation pauses and they face her, awaiting a response. 

The dirty blonde stops turning and bites her lip. She suddenly looks unsure of the space. 

“It doesn't feel as cozy as it did before. Sure, everything was kinda cramped, but being on top of each other was part of what made this house so comfortable.” 

Pope hums his agreement. “Sarah’s right. We’re gonna paint the walls or something to make this more… What's the word I'm looking for?” He snaps his fingers together to jog his memory.

“Lived-in? Dirty?” JJ offers with a laugh. 

“Like the Chateau?” John B shoves his hands into his pockets and smirks, stating the obvious. 

Pope snaps his fingers and points at the homeowner. “That’s it. Like the Chateau. There’s no other way to really describe it.” 

“Yeah, we’ll do something about that. Sarah and I are gonna look at some wood paneling, but JJ’s gonna do electrical stuff first, right man?” John B faces the blond. JJ was the whole reason they were inside seeing all this, so he wanted his friend to get the all-clear to start doing his part of the renovation before they left for the evening. 

The electrician crosses his arms over his chest. “So Greg, when do you think I can come in and start cutting holes in the wall? It looks like you and your crew are almost finished here. Are you thinking like tomorrow afternoon? I could even start today- just give me the word and I’ll grab my stuff from the truck.” 

JJ was proud of the work he did as an electrician. As much as he despised the classes he took in high school, he found himself very interested in trade school after going to a career fair the guidance counselors required all juniors to attend. Pope dragged him to the event when all he was interested in doing that afternoon was smoking a joint behind the bleachers outside. 

Attending the career fair worked out in his favor because he met a representative from the local trade school who talked up electrical work and how he could start working in the field within 10 months of entering the program. JJ had no interest in college, especially after watching Pope and Sarah stress over the admissions tests, but trade school sounded promising. As soon as he learned that he needed to earn a high school diploma or pass the GED to apply, he studied for hours with the Pogues. 

It took him several tries to pass the reading and math portions of the exam, but by November of his senior year, JJ completed the GED and entered the local trade school’s electrician training program. 

“I think my guys and I should be finished by early tomorrow afternoon. If the tile for the bathroom gets delivered tomorrow, me or one of the crew will be here on Friday to start that for y’all,” Greg informs him. 

“Sounds like a plan, man. Thanks so much.” 

Greg returns to the abandoned section of drywall while JJ grins at his friends. 

“We’re makin’ progress, baby!” He throws an arm over John B and Pope’s shoulders in celebration. “Now I’ll actually feel useful since the only things I’ve done are pick out my bed frame and mattress, and clean out a bunch of John B’s junk,” he jokes. 

The group starts walking toward the door when Greg looks up. 

“You guys know that the screen part of the back door is coming off, right?” The contractor calls out while pointing towards the back of the house. 

“Oh yeah, we know,” John B answers. “We’re gonna fix that.” 

“JJ ripped it off with the power washer last weekend,” Pope shares while narrowly avoiding a shove from the embarrassed electrician. 

He grows flustered and moves closer to the door. “Alright, well we’ve gotta go, so if I don’t hear from you, Greg, I’ll assume I can come in and get started tomorrow afternoon.” 

The door shuts behind the group. 

“What the hell, Pope?” JJ shoves his friend in the shoulder when they are on flat ground. “You know yellow jackets freak me out! It was right in my face and I got paranoid,” he claims defensively. 

The others start to laugh or nod sarcastically. They were enjoying the chance to get a rise out of JJ. 

“Sure you did. You tried defending yourself with a power washer,” John B points out between laughs. 

He flips them off and stomps toward the back of his truck. He releases the tailgate and climbs into it. 

“Well whenever you assholes are done laughing, you can help move this furniture out of my truck since I was ‘generous enough’ to haul it since your Kook car couldn’t handle all of it, Princess.” 

Sarah raises her brow and crosses her arms. If her soon-to-be roommate was offering a challenge, she was ready to take it. “Okay, JJ,” she says smirking. “Give me one of those nightstand boxes.” 

\---

“JJ? Where you at?” Pope called out to his friend as he pulled the ruined screen door open and entered the Chateau, backpack slung over his shoulder. 

The young man had just finished tutoring one of Sarah’s neighbors for the upcoming AP Calculus AB exam over on Figure Eight and made his way to the Chateau to hang out for the remainder of the afternoon. He knew John B wouldn’t be there but this gave him a chance to catch up with his other best friend after making deliveries around the island for most of the week. 

“Hey man, what’s up?” JJ stands on a step ladder in the center of the living room space, eyeballing a cutout in the ceiling. Some classic rock song is pumping through the Bluetooth speaker propped up on the window sill. 

As Pope sets the backpack down near the doorway, JJ glances toward him and a devilish grin spreads across his face. 

“Boy, do I have some shit from Norfolk to tell you and Kie about. She knows you’re gonna Facetime, right?” 

JJ gestures toward the phone Pope has in his hand with his cutting pliers before returning most of his attention to the small bundle of colorful wires jutting from the ceiling. His head bobs in time with the drumbeat as he reaches up and pulls a shorter wire through to be even with the others. 

Pope grabs another step ladder propped up against the wall and opens it. “Yeah, she knows. Is the power completely off? Do I need to set up a hotspot?” He rests his hands on the top of the ladder and looks up at his friend. 

“Mhmm,” JJ hums, nodding. He inspects the wires and internally debates what he needs to do next. 

“Can you hand me the needle nose pliers and the electrical tape behind you? I’ll finish this up while you call her.” 

His friend nods and crouches next to the toolbox, a hand hovering over its contents. 

“Yellow handle,” JJ calls out over his shoulder. 

Pope grabs the tool and electrical tape and stands. “I know what needle-nose pliers look like,” he grumbles. 

“Sure you do, man. You just took too long.” He smirks as he takes the items from Pope, who turns to pull a laptop from the backpack. 

“So what time did you get here? Accomplish much?” He was curious about the work JJ accomplished before he arrived. 

His eyes pan across the living room space. From where he sat on the floor with the computer, he could see new outlets and light switches along the walls, as well as a few holes for ceiling lights in the kitchen. 

“Actually, I’m kinda surprised at what I’ve finished myself. I got here after I finished a job I had at 11. The first things I did was easy- light switches, outlets, stuff like that. Here, the kitchen, the bedrooms, the bathroom, those are all done.” JJ steps down from the ladder and tosses the tools into the toolbox. 

He points up to the spot he was just working on. “That’s for the ceiling fan Sarah ordered. One’s going in the kitchen and another’s going into JB’s room. I’m still deciding if I want one for mine. Those will be done tomorrow along with the recessed lighting for the kitchen and the vent fan for the bathroom. I’m not sure if Sarah ever told me when the fans would be delivered, but I’ll need someone to help me install them when they get here.” He pauses, then his face brightens. “Hey, has your old man put up a fan before?” 

Pope glances up from the screen. “Probably, why?” 

“If I ask one of the guys at work to help me, we’d have to pay them, and I don’t want to pay your dad for work when you said he could probably help us a few weeks ago. Besides, Sarah could make him cookies or somethin’ as a thank you or whatever. She likes doing that shit, right?” 

Sarah did like baking. That was no secret among the Pogues. However, Pope didn’t want her to feel like her responsibilities during the renovation were limited to picking out the nice things and ensuring the boys had enough snacks to eat as they installed said nice things. If Kie were here right now, she’d slap him upside the head and call him out for the sexist comment. 

He raises his eyebrows at his friend, who pulls the step ladder to set the device on and finally sits down next to him and opens a can of RedBull. 

“What?” JJ asks while wiping his hands down on his shirt, catching his friend’s expression. “Are we calling Kie or not?” 

Pope doesn’t say anything and opens the video call app on the computer, selects Kie’s name, and places the laptop on the step ladder. 

“Dude, you look like you want to say something. Spit it out,” the blond nags, nudging his arm. 

He chooses not to say anything until the curly-haired girl in Brazil answers. 

A few seconds later, Kie’s face appears on the screen. “Hey, boys! What’s new?” A wide grin covers her face. She looks more tan than usual, likely from the extra hours in the South American sun. 

The temperature in Brazil was gradually dropping each day as it approached winter in the Southern Hemisphere, but many days were still in the low to mid-80’s temperature-wise. The lingering warmth from the day coupled with the slight breeze in the air felt amazing and she wanted to soak up every last ray of the day while she was still in South America. 

“JJ just stereotyped Sarah,” Pope cries out as his greeting. 

The blond sitting beside him starts to push him around while attempting to cut off his thought. 

The girl’s eyebrows scrunch together. “Huh? What the hell?” She is suddenly very confused. 

Between fending off JJ’s shoves, he elaborates. “He just suggested that Sarah make cookies for my dad if he helped install a ceiling fan because JJ doesn’t want to pay his coworkers to come and help him do it. On top of that, he’s been talking about how she’s been domestic or something like that with John B lately, and he’s stereotyping her as a housewife because we all think they’re gonna be engaged by the end of the summer.” 

“I never said that! You’re accusing me of stuff I never said! You’re the one who couldn’t find a nice way to call her and JB domestic yesterday! And I don’t think they’ll get engaged that quick; I said it would happen after she graduated!” JJ says defensively. 

He pushes Pope over and is ready to wrestle on the hardwood floor when Kie yells through the computer. 

“Boys!” 

The two Pogues stop and glance at the screen to see a girl who was visibly annoyed by their behavior. 

“Ohh, mama’s mad,” JJ thinks aloud and straightens himself out. He avoids looking at the computer to deflect the wrath they were certainly about to receive from Kie. 

“First of all, what the fuck?” 

“Could you be more specific,” the electrician questioned sarcastically before taking another sip of the energy drink.

Kie’s jaw went slack and her brown eyes narrowed. Through the screen, the boys could see her shoulders square up, signaling she was ticked off. It was almost like she was putting on battle armor, but in this case, it was through a computer and was just as scary digitally as it is in person. 

“JJ, I’m dealing with you first because something must have short-circuited in your brain or whatever the electrical term is while you were working. What have Sarah and I told you about the stereotyping, especially the sexist kind?” She barks the question at him. 

The young man on the receiving end of her wrath at least appeared remorseful. 

“... to not to,” he mumbles while purposefully avoiding Kie’s fiery eyes.

“I’m sorry, did you say something?” 

“I said you told me not to do it! I didn’t mean it that way; Pope just made it sound worse than it actually was. I just said that Sarah could make cookies since I know she likes to do that kind of thing because she’s my friend and they’re a delicious thing to give, and she usually gives me the extras,” he explains defensively. 

“C’mon, Kie. You know I’m not 15 anymore. I don’t make shitty comments like that, especially about someone who’s become like a sister to me.” 

Admitting that he viewed the dirty blonde Kook princess as a pseudo-sister was a big deal, and the statement did not blow over Kie or Pope’s head. 

“Damn JJ,” Pope breathes out. “You really think that?” 

“Of course I do. You guys are family, and Sarah’s part of it too. She’s been a Pogue since she helped us find the gold.” 

The attention on him was making him antsy. While he has gotten better at working through his feelings over the last three years (mostly due to deep one-on-one conversations with Sarah, Kie, Heyward, or Mrs. Heyward), he was anxious to get to the main reason they were talking that evening. 

“Are you going to chew out Pope too? I think it’s only fair that you do.” His redirection broke the tension between the trio.

Kiara shakes her head. “Pope, you’re the level-headed one of us. Don’t jump to conclusions like that,” she reminds him. 

Kie sits up and pulls a hair tie off her wrist. “So now that we’ve gotten the disciplining out of the way, what did you guys want to talk about? This better be about the bet we’ve placed on John B and Sarah,” she states while wrapping a section of hair up into a topknot. 

“Hell yeah, we’re talking about Romeo and Juliet,” JJ declares enthusiastically, taking a swig of the energy drink. “Or as I’ve started calling them because of domestic vibes they’ve been giving off, Mom and Dad.” 

“You would call them that. You’re a man child,” Kiara teases, her eyes squinting from laughter and the sun’s glare off her phone screen. 

“Hold on, I need to find somewhere to sit. The sun’s in the way and I can’t see you guys.” Kie stands and brushes the dirt off her shorts with one hand while holding her phone in the other. 

“Wait, let me show you the view! The sun’s setting now and it’s amazing.” She flips the camera and leans against the balcony railing of the suburban São Paulo home she’s staying at to pan across the Brazilian skyline. 

A few moments earlier, the young woman thought the sun was an annoyance that was glaring in her eyes, but she now appreciated it’s present position. The golden ball of fire in the sky inched closer to the coastline to disappear beyond the Atlantic Ocean eighty miles away. A mixture of fading blue and pink hues sweep across the sky that fades into a richer yellow-orange. 

It’s a sight that brings a soft smile across her face. Nothing beat sunsets on the marsh with the HMS Pogue, but something about this view came in a close second place in her mind. 

Kie pulls herself away from the sunset and flips the camera back toward her as she finds a new spot to sit. “So this bet… where are we at? Any progress? Indications of a ring? Spill the tea, boys!” She was eager to partake in this bet.

As much as she loved John B and Sarah together, putting money on their future relationship status was an opportunity she wasn’t willing to pass up. 

Pope holds up a hand. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. JJ, we never shook on this bet. Kie, I’ll honor system you agreeing to this without shaking on it because I trust you’ll keep your word more than this guy will. Dude, we need to shake on this before we do anything else,” he insists, holding his right hand out for his friend to take. 

JJ rolls his eyes and scoffs. 

“Fine,” he says half-heartedly, setting the energy drink aside. An idea suddenly came to mind, and a devious smile quickly covered his mouth. 

Before Pope realizes what he was going to do, JJ spits into his palm and grabs the offered hand to aggressively shake it. 

Kie throws her head back and laughs at the baffled and slightly-disgusted expression that crossed her friend’s face. “Okay, that was gross,” she chastises between giggles, “but you should have known that was coming, Pope!”   
  
“Look at us, Pope! We’re shaking hands like grown-ups do when they agree to stuff!” 

Pope narrows his eyes and frowns, wiping his hand against his shorts. 

_I’m never letting you meet Natalie if you shake hands like that,_ he thinks aloud. 

“Who's that and why wouldn’t I shake their hand?” JJ questions him.

The curly-haired Pogue queen furrows her eyebrow. “Wait, who’s Natalie?” 

She’s never met anyone in the Outer Banks named Natalie unless they were a touron. That only left the possibility of someone new moving to the area in the months she’s been gone, or… 

Pope’s eyes widened. 

_Well crap._

He realizes he verbalized the thought for his friends to hear, which meant an interrogation was inevitable, especially from Kie. 

“Do you have a girlfriend? You thought you could just slip that information on past us like we wouldn’t notice? What the fuck, Pope?” Kie shrieks, raising a few heads from her housemates or surrounding neighbors. 

“Dude! Who is she?” JJ snatches the ball cap off his head and throws it across the room. Suddenly, Pope finds himself in a headlock. The blond rubs his knuckles against his dark hair while fending off his friend’s attempts at escape. 

“Forget John B and Sarah, we all know they’re destined to be together forever. The bet’s still on, but that’s not important. You need to tell us about this girl and now. Who is she? How’d you meet her? Is she actually your girlfriend?” She fires off question after question to the young man wearing a sheepish grin. 

Pope gives JJ a good shove and sits up again, pulling the hat that was tossed to the side back on. 

“Natalie’s a friend from college. She lived down the hall in my dorm this past year, and we had a bunch of classes together. She’s not my girlfriend, but I really like her, and she may be coming to visit in two weeks.” The words tumble out of his mouth in a single breath. 

It was kind of nice to tell some of his best friends about the girl he liked. A small weight felt like it was lifted from his chest. A few years ago, he thought he’d shoot his shot with Kie but he quickly realized that she was more like a sister to him than anything else. Hearing her excitement and support about his kindling relationship felt right. 

As the sun slowly began to set on the Chateau, Pope launched into stories from college, several that included Natalie, and told them about her. JJ recounted the couch story with JB and Sarah while at IKEA and the group teased their favorite couple about their sometimes nauseating displays of affection for one another. 

This felt normal- the laughter, teasing, and swapping stories. Although they were missing two members of their tight-knit group, the time together was something they all needed, even if they didn’t know it. Their summers would undoubtedly be different as each person’s life changed and moved in different directions, but at the heart of it all, they had the Pogues, and the Pogues were the kind of friends that were meant to last a lifetime. 

\---

Sarah’s jaw clenched in frustration as she sat in her high school’s auditorium beside John B. They were waiting for Wheezie’s spring sports award night to start, and her dad was nowhere to be seen. 

She checked her phone for the fourth time in the last two minutes and saw no texts from Ward that indicated where he was or when he would arrive. 

“Sarah, I can feel your tension growing the more you check your phone,” John B tells her as he tugs on the collar of the polo shirt she made him wear. He grabs the device from her hand and slips it into his pocket. 

“Hey, give me-” She tries reaching over to take the phone back but he places it out of reach and slaps her hand away. 

“Excuse you!” Sarah narrows her eyes and scowls. 

“Ward will get here when he gets here. There’s probably a good reason why he’s running late or not answering your texts.” John B takes her left hand and laces their fingers together. 

“I know,” she sighs. She squeezes his hand and leans her head on his shoulder while taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. 

In the grand scheme of things, tonight’s ceremony might not be that significant, but for Sarah, it was important that Ward be there because he missed all of Wheezie’s regular-season games. It was her first season as a Varsity athlete after getting moved up from JV when a teammate broke her ankle and would be out for the rest of the season. She still had playoff games, which were tentatively scheduled as away games, and unfortunately, the likelihood of Ward attending a game was slim to none. 

If he didn’t show up, Wheezie was going to be heartbroken and Sarah would be disappointed. 

Despite the Cameron children not all sharing the same DNA, one thing was common among the three: they felt the pressure to live up to Ward’s high expectations and gain his approval. 

Rafe cracked under the intense scrutiny his father put him under as the oldest. He dropped out of college and turned to cocaine, partying, and booze to forget about his problems. He was now in his second stint of rehab on the mainland to get clean. 

Sarah loved her father, but she had her own dreams that didn’t align with his. Turning down UNC-Chapel Hill’s offer was a small piece of the puzzle that did not fit into his life plan for her. Their relationship started to feel off shortly after she and the Pogues found the Royal Merchant’s gold. Ward always appeared to be distracted by work or actively avoided being around her and John B as much as possible when they were at Taneyhill. His mood could have been due to the stress from the tropical storms that hit the Outer Banks that summer or because Rafe was spiraling and desperately needed to go to rehab. She wasn’t sure. 

As the youngest Cameron child, one would think that Wheezie naturally received all the attention, especially since her older siblings were out of the house. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. She understood her father was a busy man, but for as long as she could remember, he was always a family man. He’d be on the sidelines cheering for her during her brief soccer career or bragging about her latest and greatest academic achievement on Facebook or with his friends on the golf course. At least once a month, he used to take her and Sarah out for a dad and daughters day. They hadn’t gone out for one of those special days in almost two years. Nowadays, it was a surprise if he made it home for dinner at a reasonable hour to eat with her and Rose. There were whispers among her teammates that she’d been selected as this season’s MVP and she desperately wanted Ward in the audience if she was given the award. 

The high school’s athletic director took the stage and thanked the families attending for their commitment to their child’s athletics. Sarah tuned out most of his speech and stared at the clock on the wall. If she couldn’t check her phone or her watch for the time, she could glue her eyes to the analog clock. The hands appeared to slow down the longer she stared and she quietly groaned. 

“What is it?” John B whispers to her, confused. 

“That stupid clock is slowing down and it’s pissing me off.” 

Her boyfriend doesn’t say anything but shakes his head. 

The athletic director drones on for at least five minutes about the importance of supporting athletics and student-athletes. It was the same speech she heard the last two years when she was a varsity athlete. 

A soft vibration and a small screen lighting up on her wrist pulled her from her thoughts. 

Sarah lifts the hand holding John B’s and reads the message displayed on her watch. She was hopeful it read ‘I’m pulling in the parking lot, where are you?’; instead, her shoulders drop in defeat. 

_**Something came up at the office. Won’t make it. Sorry, sweetie. See you at home.** _

“Is he coming?” 

She shakes her head. 

“No. Work, just like always,” she answers bitterly. “Wheezie’s gonna be crushed.” 

He presses his lips against her head and squeezes her hand. “I know it doesn’t exactly make up for Ward’s absence, but she knows we’re here to support her.” 

Sarah nods. Their attendance wasn’t nearly as important to her sister as Ward’s, but they knew the teen was happy they were there. She was going to confront her dad about breaking his promise when he got home. While she could take more hits from Ward’s absence, it didn’t mean Wheezie should feel them too. 

\---

Ward Cameron walked through his front door after 9 pm. The phone call he was pulled into as he was trying to depart the office four hours earlier left him drained. 

As he locks the door behind him, he notices a light on in the kitchen and follows it. The rest of the house is quiet, except for a shower running upstairs.

Sarah sits at one of the island stools, laptop open. A pizza box and plate sit on the granite countertop a few feet from her. 

“You promised you would be there tonight.” She closes the laptop and looks at her father, disappointment etched on her features. 

Ward runs a hand through his dark hair and sighs. He wasn’t proud of his absence either. The upset expression that now covered his oldest daughter’s face hit him like a hard blow to his conscience. 

The awards banquet was a big deal for Wheezie, and he let work get in the way of it, again. He was the boss. Saying that something could wait until the morning shouldn’t be an issue for him, yet he found himself spending more and more time in the office into the late evening hours. 

“I know, sweetheart, I know. I’m really sorry. I’m not happy with myself either.” Ward sets his briefcase down on the floor and stands across from her. He presses his hands into the countertop and looks at his loafer-covered feet. 

“It's not me you should be apologizing to, Dad, it’s Wheezie. She tried to hide it, but I could tell she was crushed when she didn’t see you.” 

“I know. I’m going to do that when I go upstairs,” he promises. 

The dirty blonde girl nods, satisfied with her father’s response, and glances down at her chipped manicure. 

“Can I make it up to you two this weekend?” 

The question surprises Sarah. She looks up and tilts her head to the side, silently telling him to continue with his thought. 

“We could do another dad and daughters day. We haven’t had one of those in a while. Brunch on Saturday at the club? You probably have other things to do that day, but can you spare a few hours with your old man?” Ward flashes her a weary but hopeful smile before reaching into the pizza box and taking out a slice, ignoring the clean plate left out for him.

She considers the offer for a few moments when she spots John B walking toward the kitchen, ready to watch a movie. She catches his eyes and holds a finger up, signaling that he not enter the room yet. 

He stops before the doorway and raises an eyebrow, puzzled, but waits in the hallway. 

“I'd really like that.” Her voice is softer, the sullen tone that was there previously now gone. “Thanks, Dad.” 

Sarah stands up and circles around the island to wrap her arms tightly around her father. 

Ward returns the hug and kisses the top of her head. 

“I know I haven't been around as much as I should be, especially for Wheezie,” he starts, “but I'm really proud of you for looking out for her. I’m trying to be better about this kind of thing. She's lucky to have you, and I guess by extension, John B, as a support system. So thank you, sweetheart.” He gives her a loving squeeze before letting go. 

“I know you’re standing in the hallway, John B. No need to hide on my account. I’m heading upstairs anyway,” Ward calls over his shoulder. 

The teenage boy slowly steps into the kitchen and gives the father-daughter pair a sheepish smile. 

“Sir,” John B greets him with a nod. 

“John B,” Ward returns. He claps his hands together. “Well, I’ll let you two be for the rest of the evening,” he informs the couple while taking a second slice of pizza out of the box and picking up the briefcase abandoned on the floor. “Good night, sweetheart,” he tells Sarah with another kiss to her head, “and thank you.” 

The nineteen-year-old steps aside for his former guardian to pass by and retire for the night. 

“What was that about?” 

Sarah lets out a sigh of relief and drags her feet toward him, wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head on his chest. He slides both hands onto her back and leans against the cabinets behind him, taking most of her weight with him. 

“I was talking to Ward about not showing up tonight,” she quietly shares. “We’re gonna try to have brunch this weekend- him, Wheezie, and I.” 

“That’s a good thing, right?” The question rumbles through his chest and into her ear that’s pressed against him. 

She hums. “It’s a step in the right direction. Maybe this is my chance to mention moving out,” she thinks aloud. 

“Maybe it is, or maybe it isn’t. You’ll know when the time is right, Val. Trust your gut,” he encourages. “Now are we watching a movie or are we just going to lay on the couch and make out?” 

Sarah lifts her head and glares. “You’ve got a one-track mind, Vlad,” she tells him with a shake of her head. “C’mon.” She takes his hand and tugs him toward the couch. “If you pick a decent movie this time, maybe you’ll get that makeout session you mentioned.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclaimer: I love country music, and I do enjoy Sam Hunt's music, but I won't call it crap. My Dad happened to call it that in the car with me on a day trip and I thought it was pretty funny, so I wanted to include it. :) 
> 
> Anyways, SEASON 2 IS FILMING! WHOOOOOOOOOO! Even though we aren't getting a new season until next year, I'm happy they're back to work but are being safe about it.
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are always appreciated. I love to read what you think about the chapters and your predictions for the story, so please leave them as comments! Come scream at me about Jarah B cuteness over on my Tumbr, which is alexandracheers.tumblr.com. 
> 
> Have a great week and be safe!


	7. family time (DNA won't define this bond)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarah and Wheezie go to brunch with Ward, the sisters share some secrets, John B, JJ, and Pope put the Chateau back together, work in the bathroom starts, and Pope makes a move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, this was a really fun chapter to write!! It's very Sarah- centered, but there’s so much banter between her and the other characters that I enjoyed writing and I hope y’all don't mind it all. We’re starting the reno and I'm pumped for the Pogues! Check out the link in the end notes of the chapter to see the two extra mood boards I made- one is of Sarah's brunch outfit, and the second is the bathroom inspiration board!

Saturday morning rolled around and Sarah finds herself standing before a mirror, adjusting the mustard yellow dress that draped over her frame. It was the perfect outfit for brunch with Ward and Wheezie at the beach club- the balloon sleeves would mostly shield her arms from the coastal breeze if they sat outside; the length was appropriate enough where it was still kind of short, but not short enough to raise the eyebrows of the ultra-conservative women who sipped on Bloody Mary’s in the corner while their husbands played golf; and it was very cute. It was definitely worth the money she spent during a minor mid-finals week shopping spree when she needed a mental break from reviewing 18th-century British literature and writing chemical equations. 

She twists around and glances over her shoulder to assess the back. 

_Good choice, girl._

She gives herself a satisfied nod and faces the front again when someone knocks on her bedroom door. 

“Who is it?” She calls out, untying the drawstring that sat at her waist to tighten it. 

“It's me,” John B answers from the other side. “Can I come in?” 

“Door’s open,” she calls out, and immediately the door is pushed open and closed. 

“Hey, I'm about to- whoa.” Her boyfriend stops speaking and stares. His eyes travel up and down her body, taking in the outfit. 

Sarah watches him through the mirror and giggles while she makes quick work of tightening the waistband. John B’s reaction was exactly what she was hoping for- speechless. 

“Wow. You look beautiful,” he finally stammers out, resuming his walk into the room and stopping behind her. 

She is not wearing any heels, so he towers over her by a few inches. He leans his head against hers while his hands land on her hips. Their reflection at this moment is a snapshot of what their lives will look like as they further intertwine, just as she saw a few days earlier in her bathroom. It gives her a small confidence boost to bring up her moving out to Ward at brunch in an hour. 

“You like it?” She already knew the answer, but it certainly never hurt to ask for her own validation. 

“Hell yeah, I like it a lot, Sarah,” John B compliments with an eager nod of his head. He runs a hand over the top of the skirt and rubs the fabric and lining at the bottom between his thumb and pointer finger. 

“Oh, no you don't!” She slaps the hand that was sneakily trying to pull the skirt up. “This is not a hands-on experience. I'm not showing up to brunch with my dad and sister with sex hair just because you couldn't keep your hands to yourself!” 

John B removes the hand and gives her a guilty look. “Sorry,” he mutters into her ear while lacing his fingers with her own and squeezing. He slides the hand resting on her hip across her stomach while the other arm wraps itself around her torso in a secure but loving hold.

“This’ll be an everyday thing in a few weeks,” she quietly observes, leaning into him and meeting his brown eyes. 

“Yeah, it will. I can't wait.” John B’s arms tighten around her. . 

They bask in the quiet for a few more moments before Sarah pulls away and sits on the cushioned window seat. She picks up shoes that sit neatly on the floor and sets them down beside her. 

“So what are you and the guys up to today?” She bends down to slip one heel one and secure it around the ankle. 

John B sits on the edge of her mattress and shoves his hands into his pockets. 

“Uh, JJ, Pope and I are gonna move some of the furniture out of the pod and back inside with a few kids from work. The beds and mattresses, the old couch, table, stuff like that. I want to set up everything that will put things back to normal so we can start working from room to room while still living there. Heyward said he’d come help fix the screen door but I need to pick up the materials from the hardware store; I’m heading over there in a few. Greg is finishing the tiling job in the bathroom while JJ puts in the ceiling vent. Did I show you the photo he sent JJ?” He pulls his phone out from his pocket and starts searching for the image. 

Sarah looks up and shakes her head. “The tile arrived? When did that happen?” She didn’t recall him mentioning the delivery or that it was ready to be put up. 

“It was delivered two days ago, and Greg started yesterday. It should take a little over a day to put in and fully dry,” he answers, flipping the phone around to show her the photo he received. 

She places the second shoe on the floor and reaches forward to take the device from him. An excited “Ohh,” escapes her.

The white subway tile they picked out a week earlier looked as great as she expected it to. 

“It looks good, doesn’t it?” 

Sarah hands the phone back to him before bending over to slide the other shoe on. “Of course it looks good. You can never go wrong with subway tile. It’s a staple in the Joanna Gaines design playbook,” she tells him matter-of-factly. 

Her boyfriend’s brow scrunches in confusion. “Is that another HGTV reference?” 

“It’s the only HGTV reference I’ve been making, John B. You and JJ need to keep up,” she playfully chastises and stands to smooth out her skirt. 

When she looks up, a wave of nerves suddenly hits her. That confidence boost she had two minutes earlier? Gone.

“Sarah?” His voice is full of concern at the sudden shift in her mood.

She has no real plan on how to tell her Dad that she wanted to move in with John B. While Ward certainly liked her boyfriend, she wasn’t sure how excited he’d be when she eventually broke the news. She was starting to doubt whether she could actually go through with telling him.

“Hey, hey, hey,” John B leans forward to take her hands and gently tugs her toward him; she gives over control of her body for a few seconds. She stops between his legs and bites her lip while staring down at their linked hands. 

“I know you’re nervous. I can see it in your eyes. I’m guessing it's from telling Ward about moving out.” 

She looks up. _He knows me so well._

“Look, even if you don’t tell Ward today that you’re moving in with me, that doesn’t make the Chateau any less of a home for you. There’s no deadline for when you have to move in. It doesn’t matter if it happens next week or next year. Would I like it if you moved in sooner? Yeah, of course I would,” he admits, which pulls a tiny smile across her lips.

He runs his thumb over her knuckles. The repetitive movement helps soothe butterflies in her stomach. “The most important thing to me is that you’re still helping me to eventually make it our place, our home.” 

Sarah tilts her head to the side and sighs. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that.” 

“It’ll happen when it happens. Trust your gut, Val. Plus you’re not paying rent, so it’s not like I can kick you out for not sticking to a lease like a shitty landlord. If I did that, I’d be a shitty boyfriend and that would probably give Ward enough reason to hate me.” He chuckles under his breath before looking up thoughtfully at her. 

“Can you do me a favor?” 

“Sure, what’s up?” 

He thinks about his next statement carefully. “Just enjoy this morning with your family, okay? You and Wheezie need this time out with Ward. No Rose, no Rafe, just you and them. You look beautiful. Show it off to the Kooks at the club. ”

Sarah nods. “Yeah, I can do that.” She presses her lips to his cheek. “Thank you for the pep talk.” 

Stepping away from him, she turns to face the mirror and inspect her outfit once more. 

“Hey, can you check if I put my phone in the bag next to you?”

A few seconds later, he is standing behind her, phone in hand. 

“Here.” He passes the device over her shoulder and turns to sit down again when she stops him. 

“Wait, c’mere.” Sarah grabs his hand and tugs him forward.

“Wha-”

“Just indulge me for fifteen seconds. We looked really cute earlier and I want a new lock screen photo.”

With an exasperated sigh (that, in her opinion, sounded way too dramatic), he drags himself to stand behind her, wraps an arm tightly around her waist and presses his lips to her neck. The smile she gives him through the mirror reaches her eyes. 

“The things I do for you, Val,” John B sarcastically mumbles into her skin before lifting his head. He leans his head against hers while eying the phone she holds up. 

“Let me take the picture and then you can whine all you want, Vlad,” she fires back. Sarah snaps a few photos before adjusting the camera position when a knock on the door interrupts them. 

“Sarah!” Wheezie calls out from the other side. “Can you zip me? It keeps getting caught in the back, and Dad wants to leave soon.” 

“One sec, Wheez!” she answers. “Thank you, Vlad. Your cooperation was critical to the completion of this mission,” she tells him quietly in her Russian accent as she steps out of his arms and throws open the door. 

“I don't even want to think about what you two could possibly have been doing in here before I knocked,” Wheezie says under her breath to no one in particular, and steps inside the bedroom. She awkwardly holds the back collar of her dress up so it didn't fall open in one hand and a pair of sandals and a leather wristlet in the other. 

“Hey Wheezie,” John B greets her, shutting the door behind her. 

The teen immediately brightens and flashes him a sweet smile. “Hi John B!” 

“Turn around,” Sarah orders him with a twirl of her finger, which he immediately obeys. 

Wheezie drops the shoes to the ground and the two girls step in front of the mirror. 

“We weren't doing anything, I can promise you that,” the dirty blonde quietly informs her sister, meeting her eyes in the mirror. 

Wheezie rolls her eyes. “You guys can be really cute sometimes, but other times you completely disgust me with how in love you are.” She sweeps a hand through her dark curly hair to pull it away from her neck as Sarah quickly zips her. 

Sarah shakes her head and smiles. “Did you hear that, John B? Our relationship is disgusting to some people,” she says over her shoulder. 

When she glances behind her, she realizes he was still facing the wall with his eyes closed. “You can turn around, babe.” 

The teen gags at the nickname. 

“Hey, be nice!” Sarah tugs one of the ringlets on her head so her sister’s head tilts back. “Did you want a braid?” 

“Yeah Wheezie, be nice!” John B taunts, sticking his tongue at her while flopping on Sarah’s bed to watch them. 

The teen sticks her tongue out at him and fakes a scowl before nodding at Sarah. “Do you have enough time to French braid it? I have practice for playoffs this afternoon and I don’t want to put it up later.” 

“Probably. Dad can wait a few extra minutes. Sit down while I grab the stuff.” The dirty blonde moves to her dresser and pulls a drawer open to locate a few clear hair elastics as Wheezie sits at the window. 

John B pulls his phone out of his pocket to check the time. “Well I should probably head out,” he tells them. “I told JJ and Pope I'd be there around 11 with the stuff we need for the day and it's already 10:30.” 

He walks to the window where Sarah and Wheezie sit and stands behind his girlfriend. 

“I hope two of the three most important girls in my life have a great time at brunch while I labor the day away,” he dramatically declares while he slips a hand to Sarah’s waist. 

His voice drops. “No matter what happens, enjoy it. I love you,” he whispers, gently squeezing her waist and planting a kiss on her cheek. 

Sarah twists her head to meet his eyes and kisses him quickly. “Love you too. I'll text you later.” 

“I'm one of the most important girls in your life? I'm so honored, John B!” Sarcasm drips from Wheezie’s voice. 

“You're a brat, Sneezie.” John B tugs on the half-finished braid in Sarah's hand and flashes her a charming smile. 

“But I'm your favorite brat, right?” 

He playfully rolls his eyes. “Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“But that’d be weird! You're my sister’s boyfriend. I shouldn't be thinking about you while I sleep!”

John B shakes his head and laughs at her quick comebacks. “See you later. Eat some fancy waffles for me!”

He steps away from the girls and exits the bedroom. A long day of projects was ahead of him. Now that most of the professional work was finished, it was time for him to get his hands dirty and start making the Chateau a home again.

\---

Brunch at the beach club is always a spectacle. Elaborate flower arrangements line the edges of the outdoor dining area, and smaller bouquets decorate the center of the white table clothed tables. Soft music plays through the speakers, usually a mix of John Mayer, Michael Bublé, and instrumental covers of pop songs. Waitstaff float in and out of the kitchen in freshly ironed button-up shirts or blouses while carrying pitchers of orange juice or lemon water and glasses of mimosas and Bloody Mary’s to club members. 

Sarah takes in the sight as she walks through the open front doors to the club, her arm looped with Ward’s.

“I have a reservation at 11 under Ward Cameron,” he tells the hostess. 

She snaps out of her daze at the sound of his voice and unhooks her arm from his to smooth her dress. She smiles at the young woman picking up menus and follows her into the dining space while Wheezie and her dad trail behind. 

All around her, club members look up from their plates of French toast, smoked salmon, and eggs benedict to see who was entering. She flashes a reserved smile to a few neighbors as she passes when Wheezie loops an arm with hers. 

“Heads up,” the brunette says between her teeth. She tilts her chin to the right where two men are excusing themselves from their table and approaching Ward. 

Sarah rolls her eyes. _Here we go, business getting in the way of family, yet again._

“Go ahead, girls. I’ll be right there. I just need to say hello to a few of my golf buddies.” Ward waves them ahead before greeting both men with a firm handshake. 

Her father is well known around the island, so while she wasn’t surprised that people wanted to talk to him, especially at a place like the beach club, she was irked that he was starting full-blown conversations with them when they were supposed to have brunch.

The sisters exchange a wary glance but follow the hostess to their table and pull out their seats. 

“Oh wait, can you take a picture of us real quick?” Sarah stops the young woman and holds out her phone. 

When she nods, the dirty blonde sets her bag aside and pulls her sister closer. They lean their heads together and smile brightly at the camera before thanking the hostess. 

Wheezie lets out a soft huff of annoyance as she sits in the cushioned seat beside Sarah. The warm smile that occupied her lips moments ago disappeared. 

“Sure, golf buddies. Are you sure they aren’t business partners, Dad,” the teenager comments under her breath. 

“He’s Ward Cameron, the Grand Knight of the Rhododendron and the ‘face of the Cameron family.’ Appearances need to be kept up or else he’ll face the wrath of Rose,” Sarah jokes. She picks up the menu and scans it; her sister follows her lead. 

A few minutes pass when their waiter arrives to take their drink orders. He leaves moments before their dad finally sits down at the other side of the table. 

“Sorry about that, girls. Didn’t mean for that to take as long as it did. You know how we can get once we start talking about the green,” Ward apologizes while emptying his pockets of his phone and keys. 

The girls nod, feigning understanding. 

Golf was one of the very few shared interests between Ward and Rafe. Sarah tried playing when she was younger but never got into the quiet sport. She preferred the fast-paced nature of tennis while Wheezie has lived and breathed lacrosse since she was nine. Why play a sport with a ball and a stick if you couldn’t check your opponent with said stick? 

“It’s fine, Dad. We haven’t ordered our food yet,” Sarah states while flipping over the menu. “I did order a coffee for you though.” 

Ward nods. “Thanks, sweetheart. So what are we thinking? Waffles?”

Wheezie shakes her head. “Not with practice this afternoon. I’m probably going to get scrambled eggs, fruit, and the breakfast sausage,” she states, closing her menu. 

A vibration on the table startles the family. Ward’s phone screen lights up with a message that he quickly picks up. 

The sisters exchange an annoyed look. If they could make an effort to put their devices away at the table, their father should extend the same courtesy. 

“So Wheezie, when’s the first playoff game?” Sarah casually asks, mostly in an effort to catch her father’s attention and put the phone away. She already knows the answer but winks at her sister to silently communicate her idea. 

“Wednesday! We’re getting out early so I have to take my English test during lunch since I’ll miss class. Coach told us we could wear our jerseys to school instead of our uniform shirt...” Her voice trails off when she realizes the man sitting across the table gives no indication that he’s listening. 

His focus remains on the message he types out with his thumbs.

The dirty blonde raises a carefully manicured eyebrow and loudly clears her throat. 

Her father looks up from the screen and takes note of her thin-lipped smile and angry eyes. With a short nod at the phone in his hands and a tilt of her head toward her sister, Sarah silently challenges Ward to continue texting. 

_Fuck sounding ladylike. He wanted this outing with us so he better act like he wants to be here,_ she thinks. 

“Sorry, girls. Business was calling but it can wait ‘til later. So MVP, what were you saying? When’s the first playoff game?” Ward pockets the phone and shifts in his seat toward the sixteen-year-old. 

While Wheezie repeats herself to her father, Sarah sits back and crosses one leg over the other under the tablecloth and listens. 

The whispers from Wheezie’s teammates about being named MVP turned out to be true. Sheer surprise crossed her face a few nights earlier when the coach announced her name as the team’s MVP this spring. Sarah was pleased Ward remembered that his daughter was given the award and took the time to recognize her hard work on the field. 

Time passes quickly as Ward, Sarah and Wheezie laugh and tease one another over little things, and before they know it, their meals have arrived. 

“Okay, before we start eating, Sarah, I was getting the mail yesterday and saw that something came for you from school.” The older man reaches into his inner jacket pocket and passes an envelope over the table. He wears a pleased smile on his face. 

“What is it? Do you know?” She looks between him and the envelope in her hand. When he shakes his head, she shrugs and tears open the seal. 

Inside was a paper with the letterhead for Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. Unfolding the paper, her eyes quickly scan the words from the Dean. 

A big smile crosses her face and she looks up to meet the waiting eyes of her dad and sister. 

“I made the Dean's list this semester!” 

“I knew that letter had something worth celebrating inside,” Ward proudly declares before lifting his coffee mug up. Wheezie and Sarah raise their drinks to clink against his over the table. “To my brilliant daughters and their achievements on the field and in the classroom! I’m proud of you girls.” 

The sisters smile at each other and their dad. “Thanks, Dad,” they say simultaneously before picking up their silverware to eat. 

“What’s going on with housing, Sarah? I didn’t hear anything about it. Don’t you have to live on campus this coming year?” Her father glances at her curiously between bites of smoked salmon. 

This was her chance. A wave of confidence surged through her and her gut told her grab it and hold on tight.

She nods. “Mmhm. Sammie and I are going to room together again in Warwick River Hall with my teammates, Alexis and Meaghan. It’s not exactly apartment-style living like we wanted but it’s close to the tennis courts and we have our own common space in the suite. We’re hoping to live in the Village next year so we can cook for ourselves, but in the meantime, we’ll make do.” 

As nonchalantly as she can, she takes a sip of her coffee and sits back. “Actually, since you mentioned it, I wanted to-” 

Her voice is cut off by a voice calling out from across the dining room.

“Sarah Cameron? I thought that was you! I didn’t know you were back in town!” Topper Thornton and Kelce Phillips stand in the doorway that opens to the eighteen-hole course, clad in polo shirts and shorts, and a golf club bag slung over their shoulders. They hand their bags off to the pro shop attendant to put away and confidently swagger toward the Cameron’s table. 

Her eyes scrunch closed in frustration but she quickly plasters a pleasant smile onto her face. 

_Good timing was never your strength in high school, Top. Apparently college hasn’t changed that either._

Her opportunity to talk was gone, and it was all thanks to her ex-boyfriend and her brother’s best friends. 

“Mr. Cameron! It’s good to see you, sir,” the young man with the frosted tip hair greets. He shakes his hand before stepping aside to let Kelce do the same. “Oh hey Wheezie, how’s it going?” 

Wheezie immediately blushes and tucks an invisible strand of hair behind her ear. “Hi Topper,” she replies. 

Sarah’s eyes widen slightly and her eyebrows furrow before giving her sister the side-eye. The teen beside her was never one for acting bashful unless she missed something while away at school. 

_Wait- what the actual fuck is happening? Is she flirting with him?_

She shakes her head, internally cringing before shrugging the thought off. 

_I will deal with that later,_ she silently reminds herself. 

“Hey Topper, Kelce, how are you guys? How was college?” 

“College was awesome. I joined Beta Theta Pi at High Point- let me tell you: it was the best decision I made this year.” 

Sarah raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms over her chest. “Better than your choice to go to school there?” She asks somewhat sarcastically. 

“Hell yeah. Let me guess- you're a Kappa. You definitely rushed. Hey- are you still dating that Pogue?”

“Nope. I didn't rush. I have friends in Kappa, but I didn't rush. And yes, I'm still happily dating John B. Nice try, Topper.” She smirks when she sees her ex’s confidence visibly deflate at her answer. 

_Like I'd go back to dating you and your huge ego, Top. That's hilarious._

“What about you, Kelce? You're at UVA, right?” 

Sarah always thought Kelce was a nice person, even if he was friends with Rafe and Topper. While she didn't speak to him nearly as much at school, despite graduating with him and Topper, she always found him to be very smart and level-headed.

The African American young man shoves a hand into his golf shorts and nods. “Yeah, and I love it there. I'm really looking forward to going back in August. I haven't declared my major yet, but I'm strongly leaning toward biochem or molecular bio. There’s big money in pharma, and that's where I'm hoping to work after graduation. I might go to grad school. We’ll see.” 

She was genuinely impressed. “That's great, Kelce! I hope it all works out for you,” she tells him. 

“Any word on how Rafe’s doing? Is he going to be around this summer?” Topper directs the question toward Ward, who suddenly looks a little uneasy. 

“Ehh, I'm not sure, boys. I talked to him last week and he sounded much happier than he did a few weeks ago, but it changes all the time. Treatment like this takes time, and we want to make sure he’s getting all the help he needs.” 

His answer sounds like something a politician would say at a press conference- vague and not exactly an answer. The message, _this is the second time Rafe’s been in rehab and it's an embarrassment to this family_ , is strongly implied by Ward’s tone. 

“Of course. Please tell him we say hello the next time you talk to him or visit. We’ll let y’all get back to brunch. It was nice to see y’all,” Kelce replies while nudging Topper away from their table. 

_Thank you, Kelce_ , Sarah thinks as she takes a sip of her coffee. 

Her moment to tell Ward about moving out had slipped from her grasp, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be other opportunities. She’d just need to find the right time and build up enough confidence to speak up, again. 

\--- 

“Do you have a crush on Topper?!” Sarah blurts out the question as soon as Wheezie climbs into the passenger seat of her car to take her to practice. 

“What? No I don’t! Why would you think that?” Her sister’s voice goes up a few octaves as she avoids Sarah’s look of questionable excitement. 

“You totally do! You like Topper!” 

Sarah wasn’t sure why she was getting excited about this revelation, especially since it involved her ex-boyfriend, but her suspicion was confirmed when she saw the blush that crossed her sister’s face. 

“Okay, fine,” she cries. “Yes, I like Topper, but it’s a stupid crush. You heard him earlier. He’s still hung up on you, even after three years. Now can you just drive, Sarah?” Wheezie slumps down in the seat. “I don’t want to be late,” she mumbles under her breath as she looks out the window. 

The dirty blonde scoffs but puts the car in reverse and twists around to look out the rearview window. 

“It’s not stupid, Wheez. Your feelings are valid. I’m just surprised that it’s Topper Thornton of all people that you like. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but I’m going to ask anyway: when did that happen?” She switches to drive when they reach the end of the driveway and glances beside her. 

Wheezie crosses her arms over her chest and sighs. 

“I don’t know… I think I started to like him three summers ago when you and Top were still dating. God, this is going to sound so stupid,” She rests her head in her hands and groans. “You had snuck out- I think it was the night of Midsummer’s- and I was covering for you. He got inside your room somehow to apologize and was saying how he felt sorry about making you feel trapped and that he didn’t care who you went someplace with-” 

“It was Chapel Hill with John B,” Sarah interrupts. A dreamy smile crosses the dirty blonde’s face as she recalls the adventure they went on that day. 

She raises her eyebrows in surprise. “Well now that I know that, I’m pretty sure Topper said that he wanted to put John B’s head into the ground. Anyway, he said he loved you, and I know I was just the decoy but something about how he was willing to risk getting his ass handed to him by Dad because he snuck in was kinda sweet.” 

“You know, that was the same night John B fell off the Hawk’s Nest. Topper found us up there right before a storm hit and pushed him over the edge. DCS was trying to catch John B but Dad became his guardian the next morning at St. Olive’s once he woke up.” 

Wheezie’s eyes widen. “Topper did that? Why am I just finding this out now?”

  
She nods. “Mhmm. I’m pretty sure he was drunk, if the way he was acting was any indication. He snuck more drinks at that party than I did. And I don’t think anyone else knows except for Topper, John B, the Pogues, myself, and now you. It never came up, Sneezie. A lot of things were happening all at once that summer.” 

“You mean like finding 400 million in missing gold with your friends like a remake of _The Goonies_ or _Indiana Jones_?” The brunette sits up and smirks at her older sister. 

“Well, yes. That was one of the big things that happened. But a lot more was going on than you were probably aware of.” Sarah glances at the side mirrors and changes lanes. They pull up to a traffic light and stop before she turns onto a winding road that takes them up to the high school. 

The sisters are quiet for a few moments before Wheezie sits up straight. She remembers something from brunch that was never fully addressed after Topper and Kelce left them alone at the club. 

“I’m not the only one who is hiding something. You were about to say something big to Dad right before Topper and Kelce interrupted. What are you hiding?” The expression on her face was excited while her voice sounded accusatory. 

Sarah bites her lip. She didn’t want to say anything to Wheezie before she talked to Ward, but she felt cornered. She pulls off into a side parking lot a few miles from the school, parks, and turns to face her sister. 

“You have to promise not to say anything.” She holds her pinky out which the other girl immediately links with hers. 

The dirty blonde takes a deep breath to calm the butterflies that filled her stomach. 

“John B asked me to move in and I said yes. We’re renovating his house with JJ and Pope this summer before I move in.” The words tumble out of her mouth. 

Wheezie’s eyes widen and her jaw drops. 

“What?” She breathes out. “You’re moving out?” 

Sarah hears the surprise and a tinge of sadness in the girl’s voice, and quickly reaches over to hug her. 

“Oh Sneezie, I’m not actually going anywhere. I’ll still be around. You can’t get rid of me that quickly,” she reassures the teen. 

“I know,’ Wheezie mumbles into her shoulder. She pulls away. “How do you think Dad will react?” 

“I have no idea,” Sarah answers honestly. She puts the car into drive and continues down the main road toward their destination. 

“That’s why I was going to say something today while he was in a good mood, but that plan failed as soon as Topper saw us. Honestly, I don’t know if he’d care that much. Dad has been kind of hot and cold towards me for a little while now and I’m not sure why. He said he couldn’t help me move out of my dorm because he had meetings all day but when I got home from school, he was upstairs in his office. He didn’t come to family weekend but John B brought you up to visit. When I chewed him out for not showing up at the awards night, he suddenly decided that the best way to make it up to us was to have a dad and daughters brunch. Don’t get me wrong, it was a nice gesture, but brunch can’t fix everything.” 

She suddenly felt much lighter at the end of her rant. 

_Jeez, I didn’t realize how much this was weighing me down._

The brunette nods. “No, I get it. I noticed he was acting kinda off around the start of school three years ago- the same summer you and the Pogues found the gold, and Dad sent Rafe to rehab after Peterkin and Shoupe arrested his dealer. I thought he spent more time at work than he did at home because the rehab bills were so much that he needed to work extra. Do you remember that?” 

Sarah did remember. A few weeks after finding the gold, Rafe overdosed in front of his dealer, Barry, and ended up in the hospital. Kildare County cops arrested Barry and put him away for at least eight years. As soon as the doctors released Rafe, Ward sent him to rehab for treatment. 

In the weeks following Rafe’s first stint at rehab, Ward started to become more distant- he purposely avoided family time unless absolutely necessary, and spent more time locked in his home office or alone on the My Druthers. When the Cameron’s went out in public, she could tell when he switched on the “loving family man” act, but once they returned to the privacy of Tanneyhill, he turned it off. 

Sarah never considered the idea that her brother’s rehab bills could be the cause for her Dad’s moody behavior. 

“Maybe. But how would that explain his distance after Rafe came back home halfway through my junior year? I was starting to seriously look at CNU around that time and was setting up the bank accounts to put my cut of the gold into around the same time. You don’t think the gold has anything to do with it, do you?” She pauses at a stop sign and looks over at her sister. 

Wheezie shakes his head. “I doubt it. There’s no way Dad is still annoyed that you went out-of-state for college or that you have a crap ton of money in your bank account. If he is, then that’s a him-problem, not a you-problem. I’m sure he was acting like that because Rafe was stressing him out.” 

“It just doesn’t make sense, Wheezie…” She trails off before returning her eyes to the road. “I’m probably overthinking this. Rafe going to rehab was a big deal a few years ago and now he’s back for a second time. That has to be the reason,” Sarah decides while pressing her foot on the gas pedal. 

The girls are quiet before the teen speaks up again. “Are you excited about living with John B?” She grins at her older sister, clearly excited for her. 

Sarah tries to suppress the big smile that threatens to cover her face. “Oh my goodness, yes! It feels so good to tell someone besides Pope, Kie, and JJ about it. Like, I know people thought we moved really fast at the beginning, especially after I ended things with Topper, but it feels right for us to take this step in our relationship now. We aren’t the same people we were three years ago- John B has grown a lot from the sixteen-year-old boy he once was, and I think I’ve grown up a lot too- but we didn’t do that because one of us said ‘you need to change this about yourself.’ Our relationship matured just like we did. I can’t imagine my life without him in it, and I don’t want to try. We both want our own things, but we also want to be with the other at the end of the day. John B is-” she pauses.

A loving smile crosses her lips, and her body language softens as she tries to gather the words to describe what she is thinking.

“Hold on,” she says. Sarah pulls into the school parking lot and finds a parking space before turning the car off. She unbuckles and turns toward her sister. 

“John B is my person- there’s really no other way for me to describe it. He’s the person who I want to tease endlessly about his cleaning habits, and slow dance in a parking lot with, and rant to about how Peter the Pilot was a complete dumbass and never deserved to be the Bachelor in the first place, and call when I’m almost in tears over something really small and stupid at school and I need a really corny joke to make me feel better. He’s the one who I want to eventually start and end my days with, by my side. John B is going to be part of my life forever, I just feel it in my bones. Living together is the natural next step toward our future, whatever it is.” 

Wheezie doesn’t say anything for half a minute as she processes everything her step-sister just said. 

“Okay, first of all,” she starts before making a gagging sound. 

The dirty blonde throws her head back, laughing. “Hey, stop it!” 

  
“John B’s like an older brother to me, Sarah! I didn’t need to know all that cheesy shit he does when you two are together,” she exclaims between laughs. 

“Okay, okay, I’m not going to apologize for anything I just said because it’s all true and I love him so much, but I am sorry that you had to hear all that,” Sarah tells her. 

Wheezie grabs a water bottle from the backpack on the floor in front of her and takes a long sip. “I’m glad you’re happy, Sarah,” she admits, suddenly growing serious. “And I’m glad you have John B- not just because he loves you and makes you happy, but because he cares about me too. Rafe never cared that much about me or my interests, but John B does. Having him around while you were away at school gave me one more person in my corner, even if I didn’t ask him to be there. He just showed up for me one day and hasn’t gone away.” 

“Yeah, he does that. He’s like a fly that won’t get lost no matter how much you swat at it.” 

The teen opens and closes the passenger door before shouldering her backpack and opening the rear door to grab her lacrosse stick. “Did you just compare your boyfriend to a fly?” 

Sarah shrugs. “Yeah, but he knows it’s true. What time do you need me to pick you up?” 

Wheezie waves off the question and backs away from the car. “I’ll ask one of the upperclassmen for a ride. You’ve got stuff to do. Thanks Sarah! See you at home,” she calls out before jogging to meet three of her teammates who were walking toward the practice field. 

_Well that conversation went much better than I thought,_ Sarah thinks while backing out of the space. _Now to get the stuff to make cookies for the Heywards…_

\---

“Can someone get the door?” John B shouts as he approaches the back door of the Chateau with his arms full of materials to repair the screen door JJ damaged. 

Pope runs to meet him and pushes the door open. 

“Hey man, is that everything?” Pope takes the two plastic bags filled with hardware and other items from him as the homeowner maneuvers the roll of insect screen through the doorway. 

“For now, yep. I picked up the ceiling fans too, but we can get those out later. Thanks. Is your Dad here?” 

His friend shakes his head. “No, not yet. I told him I’d text when we were done moving the furniture back in. What time did you tell those guys from the marina to come by?” 

John B leans the tall roll against the side of the house. “They should be here any minute now. Is Greg around?” 

Pope nods. “He said he’s wrapping up today. JJ went to pick something up from his boss’s place to put the vent fan in so it’s just me here.”

“Cool. Before I forget- Sarah said last night she’d make cookies for your dad as a thank you for helping out today. She’s at brunch but she’ll make them this afternoon. If we’re still working by the time she’s done with them, she’ll drop ‘em off. If not, she’ll bring ‘em by your place tonight.” 

His friend silently pumps his fist. “Thank God. Sarah bakes the best cookies. Did she mention what kind? Is she coming to help?” 

John B shrugs. “Don’t know. She didn’t say. I guess it depends on how well brunch with her dad and sister goes. She was stressing about telling Ward about moving in before I left Tanneyhill this morning.” He glances out the screened-in porch when he spots some movement in the distance. “There’s Charlie and Zach from work. I’m going to say hello to Greg real quick and we can start moving stuff back inside. Cool?” 

“Let’s do it, man.” 

After a brief hello to the contractor, John B greets the teenagers he works at the marina with and introduces them to Pope. JJ joins them shortly after, and the group listens as the homeowner lays out the plan for the day. 

Over the course of a few hours, they move furniture items out of the storage pod and through the front or back doors of the Chateau. JJ and John B’s bed frames and mattresses return to their rooms, followed by the kitchen table and chairs, the old couch, standing lamp, and a handful of other necessities. Dishes and cleaning supplies return to the cabinets; legs are reattached to the kitchen table; a mirror is hung above the bathroom sink; and the router is turned back on. In the background, a continuous soundtrack of Marley, Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, and Springsteen plays through a speaker. 

After three hours, the Chateau is semi-put-back-together. It’s enough for John B and JJ to live comfortably while they continue renovating the home over the next several weeks. Between their jobs, most of the work will be done over the weekends with help from Sarah and Pope, but if the opportunity presents itself, any days off will likely be dedicated to renovating. 

The next project on the to-do list is to finish up most of the bathroom. Like Greg promised, he finished setting the tile that morning and moved the sink and toilet back before departing. JJ installed the new ceiling vent while Pope put up a frosted privacy film on the window- something Sarah insisted on purchasing- and the new hardware on the wall. 

Outside on the porch, John B stands beside Heyward as he shows him how to replace the screen door mesh. They removed the door from the frame, laid it on a folding table, and proceeded to rip the screen off. 

“Do I even want to know how this even happened, kid?” Heyward is bent over the top of the door to align the mesh with the frame.

John B laughs. “JJ was power washing the house when a bee flew in his face. It freaked him out and when he tried to swat it away, he hit the door with the running water.” He passes the roller tool to the older man. 

Heyward straightens up and raises an eyebrow. “So why are you the one fixing it and not JJ?” 

He shrugs. “JJ’s got the vent fan to put in. It's fine.” 

John B really doesn’t mind being stuck with the job at all. The way he sees it, this is a chance to learn something new so he could replace the rest of the screen paneling that surrounds the porch in the future. 

It takes about thirty minutes to complete the small project. They reattach the door to its frame just as JJ and Pope step outside to check on them. 

“How’s it lookin’, man?” JJ wipes the sweat off his forehead. 

“It looks like it was never ripped apart because you got scared of a bee, boy,” Heyward interjects before John B can answer. 

The expressions on Pope and John B’s faces change from neutral to humorous shock in a matter of seconds. They try but fail to mask their laughter; the older man even cracks a smile. 

“You’re an ass, John B. You said you wouldn’t talk about it anymore.” JJ crosses his arms and scowls. His face grows red from embarrassment. 

The homeowner lets out a loud laugh. “I don’t think I ever said that, but keep telling yourself that, man.” He stands and throws an arm around his friend’s shoulder, which he quickly shoves away. 

“Dude, stop it. You know I don’t like sudden affection like that,” JJ grumbles under his breath and takes a few steps away from John B. “I’m going to get one of the fans out of the Twinkie. Heyward, are you sticking around? I could use an extra set of hands to put the fan up in my room and I don’t trust Pope to be a good assistant the first time around.” 

Pope throws an arm up in disbelief at the electrician’s judgment then throws an empty plastic water bottle toward the blond, who easily deflects it and flashes a smirk toward him. 

Heyward straightens up and crosses his arms. “What makes you think I know what I’m doing, Maybank?” 

“Oh, that’s easy, Heyward,” he starts. “You’re more of an adult than the three of us combined. I’m sure the missus has forced you to do some weekend home project like putting a fan up before. I’m asking more for Pope’s benefit so after we finish another room and need to put up the next one, he’ll actually know how to help me instead of standing to the side and staring at the toolbox while he figures out what needle nose pliers are.” 

Pope picks up an empty plastic water bottle that was on the ground and throws it at JJ, but misses. 

The blond laughs. “Your aim sucks, man!” 

Pope rolls his eyes. “I’ve said this before: I was in the math club, not on the baseball team.” 

He feels his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulls it out to read the notification. When he sees who it’s from, he smiles. 

“I’ll go grab the fan for you, JJ. Be right back,” he tells them before hastening down the outdoor steps.

He pulls open the sliding door to the Twinkie and rests his back against it to read the message on his phone again. 

_**Hey! Remember how I said that I might be visiting my cousin in Emerald Isle early this summer? I’m definitely making the trip next week and I might be passing through the OBX on the way from Chesapeake. I’ve never been but I’ve always wanted to visit. Think you could share some of your favorite spots while I’m in town? -Nat** _

Pope grins. _She beat me to the invite_ , he thinks while shaking his head. _Leave it to Nat to make the first move._

He thinks for a minute about how to respond. 

_**How about I show you some of my favorite spots myself? What day are you coming down? I’ll take you around OBX.** _

A bubble with three dots appears in the thread a few seconds later. 

_**Really? I’d hate to take you away from your plans.** _

A short laugh escapes him. “What plans, Nat? I was going to ask you to stop by on the way myself but you got there before I did.” 

He types out another response and takes a deep breathe before hitting send.

_**I was going to ask if you wanted to stop but you beat me to it. I’d like to show you around. Just give me a day and time and I’ll be ready.** _

He considers sending another message, and makes a split second decision to go for it. 

_**Bring a bathing suit. My friends John B and Sarah have a boat we can take out.** _

Pope pockets the device and reaches into the Twinkie to pull out a large box with JJ’s fan; he sets it down to pull the door closed when his phone vibrates again.   
When he reads the response, he pumps his fist in the air and lets out an excited “Yes!” 

_**Can’t wait! See you Thursday morning!** _

Pope shakes his head in disbelief and picks up the box again. _Did that really just happen? Oh shit. Natalie’s coming to visit and I don’t even know if this is a date._

As he walks back toward the Chateau, he spots John B coming down the steps. 

“Hey JB, can I borrow the Pogue or the Pogue II next week?” 

His friend glances up and nods. “Sure, you don’t need to ask. What for?” 

  
He leans the box against the house and gives the homeowner a nonchalant shrug. “No reason, I just have a friend visiting from school who I want to take out on it.” 

John B raises an eyebrow. “Is this friend a girl?” 

“Maybe…” 

“Dude. Who is she? Can we meet her? What’s her name?” The questions tumble out of his mouth. 

JJ sticks his head out the door. 

“Are you talking about Natalie?” The blond wiggles his eyebrows.

“You know about her? When was this conversation and where was I?” John B questions. 

“Yeah, he spilled about her to Kie and I while you were at that school thing with Sarah a few nights ago. She’s his special ‘lady friend,’” he informs his roommate while making an obscene gesture. 

“Can you not, JJ?” Pope groans at the action. “Here, take this. I’m done helping you today,” he tells his friend sarcastically before handing the box off. 

“You know you love me, Pope!” JJ calls over his shoulder and carries his fan inside. 

John B approaches the young man and slaps him on the back. “Hey, that’s great. I hope we get to meet her if we have time next week. The boat’s yours if you want to take it out. No problem, man.” 

“Thanks, JB. Appreciate it,” he bumps the back of his hand against his friend’s for their Pogue handshake. 

Pope has so much to look forward to this summer- working, surfing, helping John B, JJ, and Sarah renovate the Chateau, and Natalie’s visit next week. The summer with the Pogues is just getting started. What more could he ask for? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, kudos and comments are always appreciated. I love to read what you think about the chapters and your predictions for the story, so please leave them as comments! Come scream at me about Jarah B cuteness over on my Tumblr, which is alexandracheers.tumblr.com.
> 
> See the other mood boards here: https://alexandracheers.tumblr.com/post/630432684401950720/chapter-7-of-the-house-wont-fall-when-the-bones


	8. moments in time (bring back memories)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys finish the bathroom at the Chateau, Sarah reveals something significant, Kie explores the Sao Paulo markets with her friends, and the Pogues officially kick off the summer in the OBX. 
> 
> Trigger warning: cussing, mention of minor character death, mention of alcohol abuse and abuse by a minor character

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re starting to pick up some steam in this chapter! Lots of things happen here, and there is plenty still to come in the fic. 
> 
> I had so much fun doing research for this chapter. I'm keeping a list of topics and details that I research for each chapter so I can go back in the future and look back at all the things I learned while writing this fic. 
> 
> My muse asked for more Sarah and JJ moments, and I hope I delivered. You know who you are.
> 
> You might need a tissue on hand for this one. You've been warned.

_“You don’t find love, it finds you. It’s got a little bit to do with destiny, fate and what’s written in the stars.”_

_-Anaïs Nin_

“Can you hand me that silver tool that opens and closes?” John B stands beneath the showerhead in the bathroom while JJ observes his roommate. 

The blond bends over and picks up the item he was looking for. “You mean an adjustable wrench? Jeez, Vlad, a silver tool that opens and closes could literally mean anything,” he informs the homeowner while passing it to him.

He rolls his eyes. “It’s not like you’re helping, JJ. You’re just standing there and watching me put this in.” He directs his attention to the faucet sticking out of the wall and stabilizes it with one hand while he fits the wrench around the base of the showerhead. 

It doesn’t budge when he tries to twist the tool. 

“Fuck,” John B mutters. From what he learned while watching a three-minute video online, the old head’s connection was stuck and he needed something to spray onto it to make it easier to twist off. 

“Do we have any WD-40 with the straw-thing? Can you make yourself useful and look in the shed?”

JJ nods and pivots on the heel of his work boots toward the door. “Probably. I’ll check. I might have some in my truck too if there’s none in the shed,” he calls over his shoulder. A few seconds later, he hears the screen door slam shut.

 _What the hell does he need WD-40 in his truck for?_ He shakes his head and steps out of the shower, pushing the question to the back of his mind. 

As he bends down to pick up the trash he threw to the floor while attaching a new doorknob, shower faucet, and mirrored medicine cabinet, his phone starts ringing. 

When he sees who’s calling, a sappy smile covers his face. 

“Hey Val,” he answers the Facetime call. 

“Hey Vlad, are you busy, or do you have a few minutes? I want to show you something I’ve been working on this morning.” Sarah is sitting on her bed, the box of photos she took when they cleaned out the Chateau a few weeks earlier resting on her lap. 

“Actually, I have something to show you too. Mind if I go first?” John B grabs a trash bag to toss the plastic wrapping into. 

Sarah nods and pulls her laptop closer. 

“So I’m nearly finished with the bathroom. I got the cabinet up with JJ’s help first thing,” he flips the camera to show her the newly installed medicine cabinet above the sink. “And we have a new doorknob on the door.” 

“Very nice,” she compliments. 

“And we have a new shower faucet in the wall now. The last thing that needs to be done in here is getting the old showerhead off and putting the new one in, but it won’t budge, so JJ’s hunting around for WD-40 in the shed,” he explains before switching the camera back to his face. 

“It looks great. One room down, the rest of the house to go,” she says cheerfully. 

“So what have you been doing all morning to prepare for the next part of the renovation mission, Valerie?” John B asks in his poor Russian accent. 

“Well Vlad, since you asked…” Sarah grins at the man on her screen before pushing the computer further away from her and leaning off the bed to pick something up from the floor. 

“I saw this photo idea on Pinterest where you take an old frame, a couple of photos, and some string or plastic-string thing, and you attach the photos to the string so they hang between either end of the frame and they look like floating pictures.”

She holds a large frame up to the camera. “So I’m thinking I’ll sand down a few frames to remove the finish, stain it with some of the leftover stain from JJ’s bed frame, and hang them around the living room. Or if you just want to hang some of the photos that we took down a few weeks ago, we can do that and put all these photos in an album instead. They’re your pictures so you should have the most say in where they end up. I just think that this is our chance to decorate how we want. You have all these photos so it would be nice to display some of them, especially the ones with our friends.” 

  
John B sits on the edge of the bathtub and nods. “I don’t think we need to hang everything that was up before. Most of that stuff was my Dad’s and isn’t my thing.” 

Sarah nods in understanding before turning shy. “I also have all those polaroids of us from my camera that I can mount to a photo mat and frame for our room.” She looks down at her lap and smiles softly. “I think it’d be really cute to display in our space. What do you think?” 

Calling John B’s room their room causes a flurry of butterflies to suddenly erupt in her stomach. It’s been almost three weeks since he asked her to move in, but the more she entertains the thought, the more excited she becomes. She plans to keep her bedroom at Tanneyhill for the nights she wants to be around her Dad and Wheezie (and to store all her seasonal clothes- Virginia and North Carolina weather is strange), but most of her time would be spent at the Chateau in the near future. 

“Do I get a say in the photos for the one in our room?” The question pulls her from her brief daze. 

She purses her lips and pretends to think for a few seconds. “I mean, I guess. But that defeats the purpose of the final product being a surprise.” 

“Okay fine. Don’t show me. Surprise me, Val.”

“Of course, Vlad. That’s how this partnership works, comrade,” she jokes. She sets the frame down beside her bed. 

“I found the stuff, John B!” JJ calls out as he reenters the house. 

The homeowner looks up when he hears his friend’s voice. 

“We’re probably going to need some more here soon, so I guess I’ll grab more the next time I’m out.” JJ tosses the can to him. He barely catches it while still holding the phone. 

“Jeez, man. Can’t you just hand it to me? And why do you keep this sitting in your truck?”

His friend shakes his head and grins. “It's useful stuff- ya never know when you might need it.” 

“Well, I’ll let you get back to finishing the bathroom. We’re still good for dinner before the party at the Boneyard tomorrow night, right?” Sarah confirms. 

JJ perks up when he hears her voice and strolls back into the bathroom to look over John B’s shoulder. “Princess!”

“JJ!” She echoes his enthusiasm. 

John B smiles. “Yeah, I’ll pick it up and come get you after I get out of work. Love you.” 

“Wait, I need to talk to Sarah. Give me the phone.” JJ tries to take the device from his hand. 

“What are you- fuck off, JJ.” His friend smacks his arm while holding the item out of reach. 

“I need her opinion on something and she’s the smartest person I know next to Pope,” the blond insists. 

“Boys!” Sarah calls out through the screen. She sounds very amused despite her attempt to hide her smile with a serious expression. 

“Yeah?” They answer simultaneously.   
  
“Vlad, let me talk to JJ. Finish what you're doing and send me photos later. I’ll just drive myself to the Chateau since I’m picking out some wood samples tomorrow afternoon so I can bring them by and we can leave together, ok? Love you too!” She blows him a kiss through the screen.

JJ snickers under his breath when John B complies. He makes a whipping sound as he walks out of the bathroom and misses his friend flipping him off from behind. 

The blond pushes open his bedroom door and then closes it almost all the way. “Okay Sar, I need your opinion on the things I want to do in here.” He props the phone up on the window sill and stands back in the mostly empty space. The only things in the room are his bed and mattress, a standing lamp, and a laundry basket of clothes that needs to be put away. 

“Lay ‘em on me, JJ.” She leans back into the pillows around her to listen. 

“You know how I have a few surfboards but I don't know what to do with them?”

She nods. JJ does have a growing collection of boards, most of which he has outgrown, that lay in a pile on the porch at the Chateau. 

“I saw a photo online the other day where someone hung a few different boards on a wall, but they position at least one of them so it looks like it’s coming out of the corner. What I'm thinking is I take two or three of my old boards and I mount them to the wall above my bed. I'd paint that wall something other than white and take the wood panels you guys pick out and put them up on the other walls.” As he explains, he moves around the space to show where he’s thinking of mounting the items to the walls. 

Sarah sits up straight and squeals. “You wanna do shiplap?!” 

JJ is taken aback by her outburst. “Uh, I guess. I know you’ve talked about that before but I don't remember what that is, so sure.” He flashes a fake smile and a thumbs up at the camera. 

“We literally talked about this like two weeks ago! How could you forget?” 

He shrugs. “I dunno. I have other things I need to think about besides some GHTV home crap.”

The dirty blonde narrows her eyes at the young man and sets her jaw. “I know you said that because you’re trying to annoy me but it’s not going to work. I’m on to you, Maybank.” 

“I’d expect nothing less, Princess,” he replies sarcastically. 

“Okay, but you wanting shiplap in your room makes me very happy, if you couldn’t tell,” she suddenly gushes. Her quick shift from unamused to excited was a little unexpected. 

“Yeah, no, I have a pretty solid idea of how happy you are.” He walks over to the window and picks up the phone. 

_You’ve never been one to downplay your reactions to things, Sarah,_ he thinks. 

“Sorry, I'll go nuts over the shiplap later,” she states. “I like your idea a lot. Are you thinking of staining your bed frame to match the panels on your wall, or do you want a different color from the one you got at IKEA? And is the fan you have now going to clash?”

“You tell me. I don't know what looks good versus what doesn't. You see how I dress on a daily basis,” he jokes, pulling the hat off his head and flipping it around. 

He moves under the fan hanging down from the ceiling for Sarah to inspect through the camera. 

“Ehh, I can’t really tell through Facetime so I guess I’ll have to look tomorrow when I'm there,” she tells him. 

“JJ! I could use some help!” John B calls from the other side of the wall. 

“Well gotta go, princess. The landlord is calling and I'm not about to piss him off cuz he’s lettin’ me live here rent-free.” He winks at the camera. 

“No way! He’s doing the same thing for me! He’s so generous, isn’t he?” She jokes, a grin reaching her eyes through the screen. 

“JJ! Now!” The homeowner desperately yells. 

Both of their eyes go wide at John B’s tone. 

“Okay, bye Sarah! See ya tomorrow!” JJ quickly ends the call and throws the device onto his bed before running out of the room. “I’m comin’ Vlad! Don’t let the house flood!” 

\---

“Have I ever told you about the letters my mom wrote for me?” 

John B sets his takeout container down and digs his hands into the sand behind him. He shakes his head. “I don't think so.” 

Sarah nods and takes another bite of her dinner before setting it aside as well. “Come to think of it, I haven't really told you much about my mom at all, have I?” She tucks a few stray hairs behind her ear and shifts to face him. 

They are sitting on the beach where the Pogues always surf, a blanket spread out beneath them, and takeout containers on their laps. Their phones are silenced and stashed away in Sarah’s bag that is thrown behind them, out of sight and out of mind. 

It’s quiet, as expected for a cooler mid-May evening in the Outer Banks. As the day gradually turned into evening, the temperature dropped slightly and forced the couple to throw on a sweatshirt before sitting down on the sandy shores for a date night. 

The beach is one of their little escapes on the island when they want to get away from the activity on Figure Eight or around the Cut with no interruptions or when they don’t feel like being creative with date ideas. 

He nods. “I mean, I know some things, like her name and what she looked like in pictures, which is enough to know that I shouldn't push for more. But that was more out of respect for you than anything because I figured you'd tell me when you were ready to talk about her.” He rests a hand on her thigh which she quickly covers with hers. 

Sarah smiles softly and squeezes his hand before reaching behind to grab her bag. She takes out an envelope and her wallet to weigh it down from the sea breeze and tosses the bag back. 

“You already know Rose isn't my mom- she’s never acted like my parent and has never treated me like her own. My mom- my real mom- Savannah, or as everyone liked to call her, Sav, died when I was really young. I had just turned 4 and Rafe was probably 7. She had leukemia and it got bad pretty quickly, so there wasn't much the doctors could do to treat it. They tried chemo for a little bit but it wasn't as effective as everyone hoped. I was too young to be around that kind of radiation and Rafe was in elementary school so my Aunt Amelia, her sister, went to the chemo treatments to keep her company while Dad worked and took care of us kids at home.” 

“Amelia is your cousins Mallory and Charlie’s mom, right,” he confirms. 

She nods and gazes out at the sun setting on the horizon. 

“At some point, Mom figured out that fighting the cancer was going to be a much bigger battle than she initially thought. She was the kind of person who prepared for anything, which meant she planned for the worst but prayed for the best.”

“So like when you were packing to go to school and insisted on bringing most of your shoes with you, only to send me back here with them after I came up to visit that one weekend,” John B teases before taking a few more bites of food. The attempt at lightening the mood works. 

Sarah shoves his arm and laughs. “That hurt, John B! Why are you calling me out like that?”

She takes another bite of dinner before turning serious. She’s nervously picking at her nails when he takes her hand and gives her a reassuring nod. 

“One day when Mom and my aunt were at the hospital, she asked a nurse for a pen and a couple sheets of paper and just… started writing letters to pass the time.” 

Sarah’s eyes grow misty and she quickly swipes at them with her sweatshirt sleeve. The movement prompts John B to push the envelope and wallet aside before pulling her closer. 

On instinct, she curls around him, throwing her legs over his lap and rests her head on his shoulder. She feels emotionally vulnerable but safe and protected by the boy who wraps his arms around her and keeps her steady. 

“You don’t have to keep going. I won't make you tell me the rest if you don't want to,” John B mutters into her ear. He slips a hand beneath her sweatshirt and rubs circles into her spine. 

The gentle touch helps her refocus. She clears her throat and picks up where she left off. 

“No, I can- I want to tell you. This is important to me and I want you to know.” She lifts her head from his shoulder. “As terrible as the thought is, I guess writing the letters became her way of coping with the situation. It seemed like she was preparing for the worst, but sometimes I think she wanted to make sure that I knew she was thinking about me and my future if she couldn’t be here for it.” 

She pauses and leans more of her weight against him. The pattern he traces on her lower back is soft yet reassuring- he is present and listening and ready to comfort. 

“For a while, Mom wrote them and gave them to my Aunt for safe keeping, but eventually, I noticed the handwriting had changed, and Aunt Amelia took over writing during some of the harder chemo treatments. They covered everything- boys, heartbreak and bouncing back, starting high school and college, my sweet sixteen, what to do if Dad ever remarried, stuff like that.” 

She briefly pauses and a soft smile crosses her lips. “I think I saw one a few days ago for when I finally move out of Tannyhill and into an apartment or house. I haven't read that one yet, but I will be soon.”

John B returns her smile and continues rubbing her lower back, knowing it's keeping her mostly relaxed as she shares this previously hidden piece of her heart with him.

“I know they did something similar for Rafe because shortly after she died, Aunt Amelia sat both of us down and gave us each a photo box with the notes and some other items of hers inside. I was too young to understand what all the envelopes were for at the time, but as I got older, I found myself standing on a step ladder and pulling the box down from the closet to read her words. Sometimes I go through her idea journals for art projects and DIYs or her personal notebooks with memories of our family just to feel like she’s still here. I like to think of it as Mom’s guide to life, but I’m the only person who gets to read it.”

She meets his eyes. “I’m sure you felt something similar with your Dad when you were searching for the Royal Merchant.” 

John B nods. “Yeah, I made those whale noises like he was calling to me, remember?” 

The comment makes her laugh. How could she forget his whale noises while they hid in the boiler room of a tugboat?

“Oh yes, that was the moment I knew you were the one for me, John B,” she tells him sarcastically while reaching back to grab the pushed-aside envelope.

“You mean the flipping over a chain on an eight-year old’s bike didn’t do it for you?” 

The dirty blonde shakes her head. “Nope, you were still scuba guy to me at that point!” 

John B’s jaw drops in fake disbelief. “Sixteen-year-old me was fuckin’ stupid. What did you see in him?” he asks rhetorically. 

Sarah bites her lip as her eyes travel over his features. “I saw a lot of things in him, otherwise I wouldn’t be in love with and choose to move in with nineteen-year-old John B,” she answers softly. 

The young man drops his head to hide the sappy expression on his face. He could feel his cheeks grow warm. Three years later, and she still blows him away with her wit, love, and way with words. 

It’s kind of a miracle he is still alive, especially after the events from the summer of gold. His reckless and do-first, think-later attitude could have taken him out of this world, but in some ways, he likes to think of his dirty-blonde Kook Princess as his saving grace. 

“Stop it, you're making me all sappy and we have the bonfire later, Sarah” he whines, turning his head into her shoulder. 

She runs a hand through his hair and ruffles it. “You'll be fine. I won't tell JJ or Pope.” She nudges his head with her shoulder. 

“Mom left a piece of advice for me in one of her letters that’s stuck with me since high school: people are good, people are ruthless, and you can never be sure which ones will do the most damage to you and your heart. After she died, I guess I gradually put up these walls around me to keep people from getting too close. I think I did that to protect myself if they ever left me or decided they didn’t like the person they saw. I don't blame Mom’s death for me falling into that behavior. That was all me. It happened with Rose when she came into my life so quickly, with Denny, Kie, Topper… I’d open myself up to them and I’d shut down soon after out of fear of rejection.” 

She turns her head to look at him, her brown eyes growing fond. “You were never like that though: you saw me as just Sarah, not Sarah Cameron: the rich blonde girl from Figure Eight who’s family is sucked up to by every other person on this island.” 

John B stares at the dirty blonde, whose face looks a little more golden with the sun setting in front of her as she collects her thoughts. 

_I see where you got your way with words, Sarah. You got it from your mom._

“It didn’t take much for you to break down my walls. When you took me to the Belltower that summer and showed me your secret spot, I felt like I saw a side of you that no one else had seen before, and suddenly I didn’t feel so scared to get close to you. You were willing to risk everything to find the gold, but I knew I could trust you with my heart because you were open and honest with me.” 

She looks down at the envelope in her hand and smiles softly. “Of all the letters Mom wrote and left in that box, there’s one that isn't meant for me. I’m guessing it’s for someone who I know is good and who won’t damage my heart because I trust that person with it completely.” She lifts her eyes and holds out the letter to him with a watery smile. “It’s meant for ‘the boy who has Sarah’s heart’ according to her, so this must be for you.”

John B’s eyes travel from her to the letter and back. He’s unsure if he should take it or insist that she keep it a few more years. 

She nods, telling him it was okay to take. “It's for you, I know it is. I don't know what she wrote but I found it a few days ago and I want you to read it whenever you're ready to “meet” mom.” She rolls her lips into a tight line and takes a shaky breath through the nose once the words leave her mouth. 

When he sees a tear rolling down her cheek, he springs into action. He takes the envelope and tucks it under his leg before picking her up, setting her on his lap so she straddles him, and wraps both arms around her waist. She presses her forehead against his neck and allows a few more tears to escape. 

_Please always be mine, John B,_ she silently pleads to any deity listening. 

Revealing this small but significant piece of her life feels like she’s conquered a mental block. She didn't purposefully hide the information about her mom from John B; finding the envelope tucked under her and the boy who captured her heart three summers ago was surely a sign sent from above by Savannah Grace Cameron. 

“She's been gone for almost 15 years and I miss her but I hardly remember her.” The words come out as a mumbled whisper that is nearly muffled by his collarbone. 

John B drags a hand up and down his girlfriend’s back while she takes several deep breaths to calm herself. 

He isn't sure what he can say to comfort the girl in his arms but he knows how to physically be there for her and that’s enough. When he was three, his own mother took off and hasn’t contacted him since. Big John went missing at sea, and his uncle didn’t give a shit about him or his well-being when he was responsible for taking care of him. John B thought the love language test she forced him to take was stupid at the time, but he is grateful he knows how to express how much he loves her when words fail, especially now.

His focus now is keeping Sarah grounded as she rides this rollercoaster of emotions she’s experiencing. Knocking down most of the walls she built around her heart took time, even if their relationship moved a little too fast to anyone on the outside looking in. The fact that she is sharing this piece of her childhood and of her family is a huge step- one much bigger than asking her to move in and help renovate the Chateau a few weeks ago. 

A few minutes pass. 

The only sounds they hear are from the Atlantic or from Sarah’s sniffles. John B turns his face into her shoulder and breathes her in. His girlfriend doesn’t always let her guard down this much, so when she does, she needs physical touch to comfort and reassure her of his presence. 

When the dirty blonde straightens her back, John B lifts his head and meets her sad eyes. 

“I just wanted to tell you a little more about mom. I did not plan for this to get as emotional as it did,” she admits with a dry laugh. “I'm sure I look like a hot mess.” 

The young man doesn't answer; instead, he runs his thumb under her eyes to wipe away the tears that cling to her skin and smiles. She rests her head into his palm and returns the smile while wrapping a hand around his wrist, her thumb brushing over his pulse. 

“She’s important to you, Sarah. Your mom might not be here physically but you still have parts of her with you when you need her. It’s not fair that she was taken from you when you were so little, but I’m glad you told me about her and the letters now.” 

John B lowers his hand and shifts to pull out the letter he tucked under his leg a few minutes earlier. 

“Your mom- she- she sounds like she was an amazing person. She didn’t want to leave you, but she wanted you to live your life, no matter what happened in the past or happens in the future.” 

He holds up the envelope. “I wish I could have met her, but I’ll get to know her the way you keep close to her memory. I'm not going to read it yet, but I'll keep it for you and read it when you want me to, okay?” 

Sarah mutely nods and throws her arms around his neck. Her heart feels as if it will burst out of her chest at any moment. 

She knew John B wouldn't freak out over the information she just shared. They’ve each had their fair share of meltdowns in the three years they've dated, and this evening's certainly won't be the last, if she has any say in the matter. 

If anything, tonight solidifies her hope of his permanent place in her life. Sarah has never shared the letters with anyone outside of her immediate family- obviously Ward, Aunt Amelia, Rafe and Wheezie knew- yet giving over one more piece of her heart to him feels freeing. 

“Thank you,” she whispers, tucking her head into the space between his jaw and his collarbone and closing her eyes. “I love you.” 

John B lowers his head and presses his lips to the top of her head. “I love you too, Sarah.” 

The couple doesn't say for about thirty seconds when he reaches out to grab a forgotten takeout container. 

“Are you done eating? Can I finish this?” He holds up her leftovers. 

Sarah's eyes open and narrow. She lifts her head and snatches the food from him. 

“We were having a moment and now you're thinking about food?” She scoffs and shakes her head. “You're such a guy,” she informs him while leaning over to pick up a fork left on the blanket. 

“I didn't eat lunch today! And at least I asked- I could have just started eating without asking!”

 _That's very true,_ Sarah thinks. _But I know you're just trying to make me smile._

“Finish your own food before you take mine, Vlad!” 

As the sun sinks deeper into the horizon, the leader of the Pogues and the island’s Kook Princess gather their things and make their way back to the Twinkie. Once John B tosses a plastic bag with their leftover takeout containers into the back of the van, he pulls Sarah close and leans against the van door. She rests her chin on his chest and looks up, her eyes clear and her smile bright.

“We don't have to go tonight,” he gently reminds her. 

“I know, but I want to go.” She balances on her toes and kisses him before taking his hand and tugging him down the beach toward the growing fire. “C’mon Vlad, our summer in the OBX doesn't officially start until we get to the bonfire.” 

John B laughs and allows himself to be led toward the group of college kids by Sarah. 

As they approach the bonfire, something crosses his mind. _I already knew I'd follow you anywhere, Val, but after tonight, I'd follow you to the ends of the Earth just so you could be mine and share your heart with me. But how can I show you just how much you sharing your mom meant to me tonight?_

An idea comes to him. 

_I know exactly what I can do._

\---

There is something special about the open-air markets in São Paulo that Kie can't exactly describe. Mercado Municipal, Praça Benedito Calixto, and Shopping Center 3, among other local markets, give a glimpse of the vibrant cultures and communities that live and work in the Brazilian city. Each has its own tourist trap but Kie allows herself to get sucked into some to soak up the experience with her travel friends. 

Today she and her friends Karly, Jayla, and Mo are exploring a small market across the street from the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, or MASP, called Feira de Artesanato. The market catches many tourists’ attention with its t-shirts, hand-carved figurines, beaded and embroidered coin purses, and suncatchers for sale, but it also sells genuine pieces of jewelry, handmade carpets, blankets and more. Kie is on the hunt for something to ship John B, JJ, and Sarah to decorate the Chateau with but she’s struggling to choose with the beautiful selection around her. 

“Kie, I just got the best acai snack at this stand around the corner. You need to go over there and get one for yourself!” Karly comes up to the curly-haired Pogue from behind and stands beside her while taking a bite of the fruit-topped dessert. 

“Ohh that looks really good. I’ll get one once I’m done here. I’m trying to find something to ship to my best friends back home as a gift and I’m having a hard time choosing. They’re renovating John B’s house because Sarah’s moving in with him and JJ is John B’s roommate.” 

Mo and Jayla join the two girls at the stall. 

“Hey, I saw these really cool wind chimes a few stalls down. My grandma loves them so I’m gonna buy one for her. Didn’t you mention once that your friends are pretty outdoorsy, Kie? How outdoorsy are we talking?” Mo takes a sip of water before digging his wallet out of his pocket. 

“John B and JJ- they’re the kind of people that surf and fish. Sarah loves to be on boats but can do without the fishing part. She might be more into the wind chime than the boys will be, but John B loves Sarah so much that he’ll agree to anything she wants. It’s disgustingly adorable,” she shares with a laugh. “Are you going to buy it now?”

Mo nods. “C’mon, I’ll show you where I found them.” He leads her down the path lined with vendors and artisans selling their goods to a small tent-covered stall. Inside, windchimes hang on display, handmade bags cover several tables and painted pottery lines a few shelves. 

“Oh wow, these are beautiful,” she breathes and steps closer to the display. She runs a hand across the dangling ornaments that bump together and chime. “Which one were you looking at?” She turns and asks her friend. 

The young man points to one a few feet from her. “She likes flowers so I’m gonna get the one with the painted sunflowers for her.” He walks toward the item and lifts it off the hook. “Do you see any that you like?” 

Kie glances around the stall. She is about to tell Mo no when she notices a collection of round decorative lights in the corner. “Maybe,” she mutters, taking off toward the lights that caught her eye. 

When she gets closer, she sees something that looks more like stained glass windows than what she initially thought was something like the turtle lamp her Mom keeps plugged in year-round at the entry table of the house. A lightbulb shines through the painted glass scenes that depict images of the sun, sea, stars, and other parts of the natural world.

“Damn, those look cool,” Mo says from behind.

Three pieces stand out to Kie that she immediately knows she wants to buy for the Pogues. She turns around to face her friend. “Could you grab the ones of the sun, the waves, and the forest for me since I can’t reach? I think they are perfect for my friends.” 

_The sun for John B, the waves for JJ, and the forest for Pope._

Mo passes the wind chime to her and reaches up to lift the three pieces off the display. “Here ya go.” He passes the items to her and takes back his purchase. 

They walk over to the vendor and hand over their goods to purchase. A few minutes later, they are back outside among the other shoppers and spot Karly and Jayla waiting. 

“What did you find, Kie?” Jayla asks while holding out her pão de queijo to share. 

She rips off a piece and tosses it in her mouth. “God, I know this is meant to be a breakfast food but cheese bread like this is meant to be eaten all day. I need a moment. This stuff is the shit,” she moans while savoring the taste of the Brazilian street food. 

Her friends share a laugh and they all walk back towards the end of the line of stalls. “I got some stained glass window pieces for John B, JJ, and Pope. I still need to find something for Sarah and my parents, but I’m ready to hit the beach. What about y’all?”

The group agrees and they push their way through the crowd toward the street exit to find the closest subway station. Once they get settled on the train, Kie pulls out her phone and flips the camera to snap a selfie with her friends and travel companions. 

She sends it to the Pogue group chat with the message, **Flip off a kook and shotgun a beer at the bonfire for me tonight! Miss you Pogues** 🤙🏽

  
Home feels so far away sometimes. Kie loves everything she’s experienced while exploring São Paulo over the last couple of months, but with all her best friends home for the summer, she feels as if she’s missing out on so much with them. 

This must be what it felt like for Sarah and Pope to go away to college, she realizes. When they went home for spring break, it was during different weeks so it wasn’t like everyone was reunited except now its summer and they all get to hang out while I’m missing out. 

Kie is snapped out of her thoughts when she feels her phone vibrate in the belt bag hanging off her shoulder. The screen lights up with a text from Sarah, except it’s not in the group message. 

She opens the message and lets out a soft huff of laughter at the photo from the dirty blonde girl. She guesses that John B and Sarah are on a date because the photo is of them making kissy-duck lips to the camera. 

**We miss you too, babe!**

Kie shakes her head and types out a response before putting her phone away. 

**That’s adorable and I’m using this as blackmail for John B.**

She’s allowed to miss her friends and her home. The little reminders of what she is missing while in Brazil are pieces that she holds close to her heart. Distance definitely makes the heart grow fonder, and as much as she was ready to get out of the Outer Banks earlier in the year, she knows that it’ll be time to return home soon. For now, she’s going to treasure the time she has left with her new friends and in the city she’s grown to love.

\---

“It’s ‘bout time y’all showed up,” JJ calls out when he spots John B and Sarah walking towards the growing group of teens at the Boneyard. Pope sits beside him and a few other friends from Kildare County High School on the sand, the bonfire burning several feet away. 

With all the college students from the area returning home for the summer, a bonfire at the Boneyard in mid-May was almost expected. The unwritten rule is that the college bonfire is always the Friday night after UNC-Chapel Hill wrapped for the semester. It beat the parties thrown together by the high schoolers, it isn’t crashed by Tourons, and the alcohol selection is plentiful- White Claw, Corona, kegs of beer, all paid for by someone’s wealthy parents and proudly displayed in their collegiate YETI cooler. 

Those from Figure Eight flaunt their Big Ten or Ivy League gear and brag about the summer internships they scored (thanks to Daddy’s connections and not their own merit) while those from the Cut came for a good time and to catch up with the friends they haven’t seen since spring break. 

The divide between Pogue and Kook is still present, but most people don’t seem to care as they mingle. It’s almost as if college made them realize that the feud they had as high schoolers was something pulled straight from The Outsiders. 

John B tosses a blanket down beside their friends. 

“I’m gonna go grab something from the coolers for Sarah and me. JJ, you good man? What about you, Pope?” John B slaps a hand against JJ and Pope’s arms in greeting. 

“Yeah, I’ll get something in a few.” He takes a hit of the Juul in his hand and waves him off. 

Pope stands up and brushes some sand off his shorts. “I’ll come with, JB. Hey Sarah, what do you want?” He points at the dirty blonde standing next to one of his best friends while backing away to find the closest cooler. 

“You guys know what I like,” she calls out in response. “Thank you!” 

A few moments later, JJ feels someone tap him on the shoulder and looks behind him. He sees Sarah pointing her head toward the water, silently telling him to come with her. 

“What’s up, Princess?” He asks when they are out of earshot from the group. 

“I kinda just wanted to check in, since you have your drinking rule and there’s a bunch of coolers and kegs filled with beer around us.” 

“Okay? Your point is?” 

“JJ, I’m just trying to look out for you and hold you accountable to the promise you made yourself. No more than one drink tonight, okay?” 

He groans and takes another hit of the Juul. “Yes, mom.” 

“I mean it,” she says sincerely. “You don't have to act like Mr. Tough Guy all the time. I have a tennis match tomorrow that I don’t need the headache from drinking White Claw all night and I don’t want you to feel singled out just because you’re not drinking.” 

JJ appreciates the gesture. For most of the year, it hasn't been very difficult to resist drinking excessively since most of the parties were far enough away, but now that all his friends were back for the summer, nights like tonight are expected and he will need someone to hold him accountable. 

He exhales and a puff of white vapor that smells like Virginia tobacco floats around him. Sarah’s right: he does need someone to look out for him so he doesn't spiral into one of Luke Maybank’s drunken rages. The reason he told the Pogues about his decision to swear off heavy drinking was because he refuses to become like his father. Being held accountable is a result of that decision, even if the circumstances don't always make it easy.

The blond grins, raises his hands into fists, and holds them out to the girl standing opposite him. 

“One drink, Cameron?” 

Sarah smiles and bumps her fists against his. “One drink it is, Maybank.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave your thoughts on the chapter in the comments! Don't forget to leave kudos and come talk to me about the fic on my Tumblr, alexandracheers.tumblr.com. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, friends, and don't forget to vote for OBX and Chase Stokes for People's Choice Awards every day (and wear a mask, drink water, get exercise, take care of your brain, register to vote and vote, things like that)!


	9. buy me a boat (money can't buy everything)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JJ unleashes his inner Chip Gaines, Ward reflects on his past and present, Natalie visits Pope, and the Pogues spend the afternoon out on the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to all the anons who left me messages on Tumblr asking for this chapter! My semester is finishing in the next couple weeks, so writing time will probably be limited as I wrap up larger assignments for grad school. Special thanks to Liv (OliviaRedfield) for your suggestions to help me finish up this chapter! 
> 
> Chapter inspired by "Buy Me a Boat" by Chris Janson and "Feels Like Love" by Noah Schnacky. 
> 
> Warning for some cursing and one small implication of sex. 
> 
> Check out this Tumblr post for the kitchen moodboard: https://alexandracheers.tumblr.com/post/634524535385931776/chapter-9-the-house-wont-fall-when-the-bones

_“I know everybody says money can’t buy happiness. But it could buy me a boat, it could buy me a truck to pull it. It could buy me a Yeti 110 iced down with some silver bullets._

_Yeah, and I know what they say, money can’t buy everything. Well, maybe so, but it could buy me a boat.”_

[ _-”Buy Me a Boat” by Chris Janson_ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQPjKSVe1tQ)

JJ is fast asleep when a loud bang that sounds like a sledgehammer interrupts his dream. It startles him awake. He lets out a low groan and rolls out of bed to find out what all the noise is about.

The blond throws open the bedroom door and steps into the living area, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

“What the fuck is with all the noise? John B, we’ve talked about this. You gotta give me a heads up if you’re gonna have sex so I’m not- oh, hey Greg.” When JJ opens his eyes, he sees John B, Sarah, Greg, and two of his crew members in the kitchen. His roommate stands over a now-destroyed cabinet, sledgehammer in hand, safety glasses covering his eyes, and a look of surprise on his face. 

“JJ- hey, I didn’t know you were still here. I thought you had a job this morning.” 

He shakes his head. “Nope, they canceled late last night. Were you guys really gonna rip stuff off the wall without me? Dude, I’d expect you to forget to tell me, but really Princess? I thought we were friends! You’re supposed to remember and tell me about fun shit like this.” 

Sarah looks guilty. “Sorry! I really thought you were gone since your door was shut.” She pauses. “Wait- were you just asleep?” 

“No, I was meditating,” he answers sarcastically. “Yes, I was sleeping!” 

JJ goes to step into the kitchen when the dirty blonde girl yells, “Shoes!” and points at his bare feet. 

Since the renovation started, Sarah is hyperaware of their safety around the house. It’s ironic that she’s like this because three years ago when they were searching for the gold, she threw all caution out the window of the Twinkie and snuck into Mrs. Crain’s house with Kie to cut the power. Now, the thought of stepping on a tiny wood splinter with bare feet throws her into a tizz that even John B occasionally rolls his eyes at.

“Good God, woman,” he mutters under his breath. He turns back into the bedroom and digs around for his workboots. When he finally locates them, he pulls the boots on and strides to John B, hand sticking out to take the tool and safety glasses from him. 

“If you guys really thought I wouldn’t want to be here when these old things were taken down like this, then y’all are dumber than I thought you were.” He pushes the bedhead away from his eyes and slips the glasses on.

“I didn't know you even had an opinion about the cabinets, JJ,” Sarah sarcastically observes, crossing her arms over her chest and smirking. 

“I always have an opinion, whether you like it or not.” The blond sticks his tongue out at her like a child which she immediately returns. 

He lifts his chin towards Greg. “Alright, man. I can hit anywhere?” 

The contractor and crew members take a few steps back to avoid getting hit by flying debris. “Yep, just not the sink area or the drywall. Anywhere else is fair game. Have at it, kid.” 

John B and Sarah follow Greg’s lead and back away from JJ, who’s excitement over the task at hand grows with each passing second. 

The dirty blonde leans against a wall. “Are you sure he should-” Sarah starts to ask but is cut off by her boyfriend shaking his head. 

“Just let him have this,” John B tells her while pulling out his phone to take a video. 

The blond looks over his shoulder and grins. “You ‘bout to get this on video, John B?”

“It’s going in your highlight reel,” he calls out. “Ready when you are!” 

JJ takes that as his cue to let loose. He lifts the sledgehammer over his shoulder, aims directly at an upper cabinet, and drives the tool into the wall fixture, taking out the bottom and part of the frame in a matter of seconds. A burst of energy pumps through his veins at the sound of steel meeting cheap wood. He then hits two other cabinets like a baseball player swinging at a ninety mile-per-hour changeup pitch. 

The old wooden fixtures lay in a splintered heap atop the lower cabinets, ready to be removed and tossed into the dumpster outside.

“He’s turning into Chip Gaines on demo day,” Sarah mutters, her eyes wide at her friend’s sudden display of energy and adrenaline. 

She knows the blond can definitely hold his own- she’s witnessed him get in enough fights with Topper and Rafe over the last few years to know this as fact, so using a sledgehammer shouldn’t be that big of a deal. But watching him knock old cabinets off the wall when he woke up less than five minutes ago is kind of impressive. 

“Damn, that was fun. Did you say something, Princess?” JJ asks her breathlessly before flipping the tool over to rest the steel head on the ground and leaning his weight against the hardwood shaft. 

“Actually I did,” she smirks and pulls a hair elastic off her wrist. She ties up her hair into a high ponytail and struts toward him, hand out. “Give it over, Maybank. It’s demo day, and ya girl’s ready to take these awful looking cabinets off the wall and get a better kitchen in here.” She takes the tool and safety glasses and winks. 

JJ barks out a short laugh. “Tell us how you really feel about this place, Sarah! Hold nothing back,” he cheers. 

He steps back to stand beside John B, whose eyebrows are raised high and his jaw wide open at his girlfriend’s confidence this morning. 

Rolling his eyes, the electrician nudges his friend before lowering his voice. 

“Dude, snap out of it. Now’s not the time to get all horny and shit when she shows off how strong and independent she is. We’ve got company and you can’t sneak away to get some like you usually can. And shut your mouth, will ya?- I will laugh at you if you choke on a bug or somethin’.” JJ slaps his best friend behind the head. 

John B instinctively lifts a hand to rub where the blond just hit him and closes his mouth. 

“Oww… I- I uh,” he stammers. “You saw nothing.” 

“Saw what, John B? You staring?” Sarah rests a hand on her hip and raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Babe, you’ve been like that for the last three years. I’m glad you keep staring. It means you aren’t sick of me.” Sarah turns toward the cabinets, her ponytail swinging over her shoulder, and lifts the sledgehammer. 

“She got you there, dude,” JJ mutters. 

As she takes her turn demolishing the cabinets, the roommates stand back and observe. 

“Hey, I got called into work last minute but I was supposed to get the _Pogue II_ out of storage and get her ready for Pope and Natalie tomorrow. Do ya mind getting and towing her to the marina this afternoon for me and once I’m off, we get her checked over and in the water?” John B digs into his pockets, pulls out a key ring, and holds it out to JJ. 

“I get a truck and now everyone wants to use it to tow their shit,” He answers dryly, crossing his arms over his chest. 

The dark blue F-150 parked beside the Twinkie is his baby. The money he spent on the truck was originally intended to go to Barry for the stolen cash, but the afternoon JJ walked to the dealer’s shack to repay him, it was surrounded by cop cars. He took off before anyone from the sheriff’s department saw him. Later on, he learned in a text from John B that Rafe overdosed in front of the dealer. As much as Sarah disagreed with her older brother’s life choices, she and the rest of her family were distraught by the incident. She leaned heavily on John B and the rest of the Pogues during the difficult time. 

After using a very small portion of his gold money for trade school and leaving a chunk of cash for his deadbeat dad to repay him for bailing him out, he decided it was time to get his own car, and a pickup truck was exactly what he wanted, especially given his line of work as an electrician. Naturally, he sprung for a few luxuries like the trailer tow package when the Pogues took the _Pogue II_ out (an early purchase by John B after becoming an emancipated minor) and an upgraded trim package. 

“So is that a no or…?” 

JJ grabs the keys from him and quickly pockets them. “Yeah, I’ll get her. It’ll give me something to do. Are we hangin’ out with them tomorrow or is just Pope and his lady friend that get to use the boat?”

John B shrugs. “Don’t know. It’d be nice to meet her and get out on the water for a couple hours, but you’ll have to- Sarah!” He cuts himself off, eyes wide in fear when her swing lands a little too close to the kitchen sink for comfort.

The dirty blonde stops her cabinet destruction and turns around, her brown eyes narrowed in his direction. Her frown quickly changes into a teasing smile as she hands the sledgehammer off to one of the workers, pulls her hair out of the ponytail, and saunters toward him. 

“Relax John B, it’s not like I’ve never seen a kitchen demolition before. I watched it on HGTV. Now get your head out of the gutter, John B.” She stops at his side and smirks before planting her lips against his cheek. 

JJ stares for a few seconds before shrugging. “Okay.” He’s not interested in the story behind her comment. Picking up the Grady-White Freedom 325 from the boatel is his only care at the moment. He starts backing away from them and moves toward the front door. 

“So John B, you’ll go work, I’ll get the boat, and Princess, you go get your nails done or some girly shit like that. Cool? Cool.” JJ gives them a quick thumbs up for confirmation. 

Sarah stares at him, her mouth agape. “You just woke up. Don’t you want to brush your teeth or, I don’t know, put on some deodorant? Maybe change into different clothes?” she suggests. 

JJ pauses and lifts his arm to sniff himself when he stops. He remembers the contractor and two crew members standing a few feet away and silently observing the three teens’ strange charade. “I should do that,” he decides, walking past her and John B. “Greg, TJ, Marco. Nice to see ya,” he greets them again with a short tilt of his chin in their direction before shutting the bedroom door. 

“You disgust me sometimes. It’s good hygiene to brush your teeth so people don’t get a whiff of bad breath or, you know, you get cavities. Ever heard of them?” The dirty blonde calls from outside JJ’s door. She’s pulling the guy’s leg and enjoying every minute of it. 

John B visibly cringes. His girlfriend and best friend fight like siblings. It doesn’t matter the day or the hour: they’ll bicker about something tiny and be over it in a couple of minutes. Today’s argument was about JJ’s hygiene. 

_FML._

“Sorry about them,” he apologizes, gesturing towards the two teens. “So how long do you think this’ll take? We bought the unfinished cabinets so we could stain them ourselves but we won’t get to that until later this week.” 

The contractor and homeowner discuss the day’s project and the steps for him and JJ to take this week for a few minutes. The crew continues the trio’s work of tearing old cabinets off the walls and making a pile that will go out to the dumpster. Greg steps away to answer a phone call, leaving John B to stand off to the side and watch as the pile of splintered wood grows. 

It’s a strange sight- fixtures that have been in this house for as long as he can remember are torn down and replaced with something new. This something new is just one piece of a larger puzzle. The contractor’s work is nearly complete, which means he and the Pogues will get their hands dirty and take on some projects themselves- staining and finishing the cabinets, assembling furniture, mounting shiplap to walls...

Transforming the Chateau into a home for him, Sarah, and JJ is exhilarating. The work left to do will be exhausting but the final product will be worth it. For now, it’s time to get out of the professional’s way and let them destroy the rest of the cabinets, put up the new ones, and reconfigure some appliances. 

John B walks up behind Sarah, wraps an arm around her torso, and rests his chin on her shoulder. “Hey JJ, you’ve got the key to the _Pogue II_?” he asks through the door. 

“Yeah, I’ve got it. See ya at the marina, man. Bye, Sarah,” their friend calls out. 

With that, the couple walks toward the front door to go their separate ways for the day. 

When they stop beside her Volvo, she turns and leans against the driver’s door. “Hey, do you think you could pick Wheezie up from school for me this afternoon? I know you just said you have work and you need to get the boat ready for tomorrow, but I have to take my car in for inspection and the only time I could get was 2:45 this afternoon. It needs to get done since it's the end of the month and I don't want to drive around with an expired sticker. You know how Ward gets about stuff like that.” 

“Yeah, sure. Anything for you, Val,” he answers, squeezing her hand tightly. He leans down and presses a kiss to her lips. “Love you.”

“Thank you, Vlad. Love you too,” she says against his lips. Her smile grows and she kisses him once more before pulling away. 

“I’ll text you the address for the dealership this afternoon so you can just bring her over and get back to the marina,” Sarah tells him while opening the door and getting into the driver’s seat. 

“Or I could bring Wheezie with me to the marina and you could just meet us there after you’re done. We can take the _Pogue II_ out so we know she’s good for tomorrow.” John B rests his arms against the open window so he’s at eye level with the dirty blonde. He gives her his most convincing smile and winks. 

She sighs. “Okay, fine. That actually sounds like a lot of fun and I know she’d love it. Now go, you’ve got work and you don’t need to be late. I’ll see you in a few hours!” Sarah puts the key in the ignition and turns the car on. 

As he backs away from her car, he shakes his head. Sarah’s request came at the perfect time. He has something important to talk to the youngest Cameron girl about and it’s a conversation that needs to be done in person. 

\---

“Great chat, Patrick. Hey, just look over the paperwork this week and get back to me when you’re ready to sign it. Give Melanie my best. Yep. Talk soon.” 

As soon as Ward ends the phone call, he lets out a deep groan of exhaustion. It’s only 10:00 in the morning and he is already over the workday. From the moment he turned on his work phone at 7:45 this morning, it’s been back-to-back calls for new government contracting jobs. 

Despite his efforts to leave the house and drive to the office like he does each day, every phone call, email, and Slack message is urgent and needs to be talked about immediately. After pressing a quick kiss good morning Rose’s cheek and inquiring about Sarah’s whereabouts (“She took Wheezie to school, hasn’t come back since,” his wife answers with an indifferent shrug), he locked the door to his study and turned on the Southern-businessman charm. 

“You’re doin’ this for the family, Ward. We need the money- well, Sarah doesn’t need it but...” he reminds himself, shaking his head. 

Across the room, sunlight reflects off the hatch cut glass decanter resting on his bar cart and glares into his eye. He stands up from the leather CEO-esque chair and mahogany desk to pull the curtains shut when he pauses. 

_Is it too early for some whisky?_ He considers it for a few moments before pulling the curtains shut. 

No. Even if the thought of more phone calls and emails makes him want to knock back a glass or two of the aged alcohol, Ward knows he needs to present himself as a dignified man and the face of the Cameron family. 

Saying the last name Cameron to any local on Kildare Island these days will give you one of three responses: “Ward Cameron of Cameron & Partners, right? I’ve done work with him a few times. Great businessman.”; “Oh, Rose from Cameron Realty? She sold my house so fast. Highly recommend her!”; and finally, “Didn’t one of those Cameron kids overdose two years ago?” 

The first two aren’t problematic associations with the family name. It’s the last one that hangs over his head on a daily basis. A lot of things happened over the course of six weeks during the Summer of 2019: he was named the Grand Knight of the Rhododendron at Midsummer’s; he became John Booker Routledge’s guardian; Rafe overdosed in front of his dealer; and Sarah and her friends discovered 400 million dollars in missing gold- the _Royal Merchant_ gold. 

The _Royal Merchant’s_ gold was going to be his, but Big John Routledge’s kid and his friends, including his middle child, found it first on one late-July night and they became the wealthiest people on the island by daybreak. His daughter is smart, UNC-Chapel Hill smart (yet she chose a smaller out-of-state, division III school over his alma mater). It was Sarah’s quick thinking, charm, and connections that secured the riches for the group and put them out of his reach. 

No one outside of the Heyward’s, the Carerra’s, and the immediate Cameron family knew about gold money. When they learned of the discovery, they all agreed to keep quiet to protect their children from the unnecessary attention that came with winning the lottery. 

None of the teens’ parents could access the money- Sarah made sure of that, much to his chagrin. She made a late-night phone call to Amelia Guidry-McKee, his former sister-in-law, in Annapolis, Maryland, and by mid-afternoon, the lawyer was in the Outer Banks to help secure the bars of gold and fight pro-bono for the Pogue’s claim to the gold with government officials in the Kildare County courts. Once the fights with the law ceased, she set up bank accounts and trusts for each teen independent from their parents before returning to her family in Annapolis.

Ward suspects Amelia set up the accounts and trusts independently just to spite him. Since her sister’s passing and his marriage to Rose just over a year later, she is more critical of him and his decisions. Despite this, she remains a dedicated aunt to Sarah and Rafe, and a pseudo-aunt to Wheezie, making sure their future is secure like they are her own children. 

It’s not that he’s upset his former sister-in-law went behind his back and helped put his then-sixteen-year-old daughter’s newfound wealth out of his reach. No, he’s definitely not upset with Amelia. 

He’s envious of a group of teenagers from the Cut who stumbled upon and inherited 400 million dollars in missing gold, the same gold he spent several years searching for himself. 

Since the end of that life-changing summer almost three years ago, Ward threw himself into his work. To make up for the riches he lost but his daughter (and the young man he was the guardian of) gained, he and his firm picked up as many public and private-sector contracts as possible. The business flourished, but he felt pieces of his soul chip away as anger, jealousy, and grief slowly consumed him- anger at himself, jealousy toward five sixteen-year-olds, and grief over his loss of the gold. That, coupled with Rafe's overdose and relapse, wore him down; a few grey hairs started appearing on his head over the last three years. 

He knows his family took notice of his sudden mood shifts when they were in public. Masking the anger behind his Southern accent and charming smile usually did the trick to fool friends and colleagues. Rose tried all she could to get information out of him but he wasn't going to let his frustration with himself impact her already rocky relationship with her stepdaughter. 

“Savvy, you'd know what to do.” Ward lifts his eyes to the ceiling, as if his late wife’s spirit would float in as soon as he said her name. He knows what she’d tell him. Fifteen years later and he can still hear her voice crystal clear: ‘Get your head out of your rear, swallow your pride and act like the man I love and married. Our kiddos need you. Show up for them because I can't.’ 

He’s trying to do better and get his hot and cold behavior under control, but some days, it feels like an uphill battle. He's losing his older children with each passing second. With Rafe on the mainland at a new treatment program and Sarah doing- well, he’s not actually sure what his oldest daughter is up to these days. She’s gone nearly every day, citing trips to the Cut to spend time with John B while he renovates his house. If she’s not with John B, she’s at the country club working on her tennis swing for summer club matches or shopping for her boyfriend’s home renovation. 

Ward slowly walks back to his seat and stops in front of the window next to his desk. Outside, landscapers cut the grass, trim back bushes, and finish planting new flowers around the property. He’s proud of his home: it's the same one he and Savannah purchased for their growing family a year after Rafe was born. They brought Sarah home here nineteen years ago where Rafe ran to meet them at the door, eager to meet his baby sister. It’s the same home he walked into nearly fifteen years ago, carrying four-year-old Sarah, and Rafe silently following behind him after burying Savannah at Beechwood Memorial Cemetery. He felt as if he left part of his heart behind at the Cemetery and the only reason he could keep going was because of the blond-haired children with their mother’s eyes. 

In the fifteen years since cancer took away his first love, his life shifted on a slightly different course. He met Rose Montgomery a few months after Savannah’s death, and a couple months later, they married in a small ceremony. A year later, Wheezie entered their lives. His home lost a family member but it added two more in the process. Furniture was replaced, decor swapped out, rooms were repainted, and children grew up.

The question he asked Sarah a few weeks earlier lingers at the back of his mind: Why is John B bothering to renovate a fish shack on the Cut when he could buy a new house with all the money he now has? The kid lived in the house when he just barely scraped by yet he continues to stay there when he’s financially set for the rest of his life. And why is Sarah getting so involved with the project, almost like she’s living there? 

Ward is not clueless; he knows that Sarah spends the night with her boyfriend more often than he would like, but she’s a young adult. He won’t tell her what she can and can’t do. 

“She said she wasn’t moving in with John B. She’s just helping him pick out everything,” he reassures himself. _There’s no reason to worry._

His phone rings, signaling the end of his mental break. _There’s nothing to be concerned about. You’re not going to lose Sarah._

Ward rubs the back of his neck and returns to his seat. It’s time to get back to work. 

“David, how are you, sir? I’ve been meaning to follow up with you.” 

\---

Ever since Pope got a text from Natalie at 8:30 am, telling him that she’s on the road and her ETA is 9:45, he’s been on edge with nerves. His palms feel clammy, no matter how much he wipes them on his shorts. 

He checks the time: **9:53 am**. 

_Jeez, is this how JB felt about Sarah,_ he wonders. _No,_ he mentally corrects himself. _They got together so fast- there was no way he had time to get this nervous._

The nineteen-year-old waits at a strip mall parking lot a few miles from the marina where John B and JJ are finishing their engine, fuel, and electrical checks on the Pogue II. He’s waited for almost 20 minutes, in case Natalie beat out traffic on the highway. 

He has the day mostly planned out. When Natalie arrives, they’ll pick up coffee, drive over to Heywards together to say hi to his parents, and along the way, he’ll show her some of his favorite spots on the island, before making their way back to the marina for a few hours out on the _Pogue II_ with John B, JJ, and Sarah. When he mentioned the boat ride and his friends last week, Natalie told him she wanted to meet them. 

An afternoon on the water with his best friends and the girl he likes is the most on-brand OBX hangout there could be. 

_It sounds like something a Kook would do,_ Pope thinks. _But your bank account balance makes you a Kook, with or without the lifestyle changes._

A car horn beeps and Pope looks across the parking lot. When he sees the driver waving, he grins. 

An old silver sedan pulls into an empty spot a few feet away from him and Natalie Morrison climbs out. She pulls a pair of sunglasses off her eyes and sets them atop her dark wavy hair. 

“Pope!” She ducks back into the car to grab something. 

The young man walks to the car and waits for her to shut the door. “Hey Nat, welcome to the Outer Banks,” he greets. 

She closes the door and turns around, throwing her arms around his neck in excitement. “It’s so good to see you! Thanks for taking me around today, I’m really excited to see the Outer Banks!” 

The girl’s greeting takes him by surprise and he stumbles back a few steps before his arms wrap around her waist. 

“So what are we doing today? I’m assuming we’re having lunch with your friends since you asked for my order.” Natalie slips her day backpack over her shoulders and locks the vehicle. 

Pope shoves his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, Sarah’s getting us all lunch to take out on the _Pogue II_. John B’s working until 12:30 so we’ll go out on the water after since the boat is his. I figured we get coffee and just catch up for a little bit before I take you around and show you a couple of my favorite spots. My parents want to say hi to you so we’ll stop at the shop. By then, it should be around lunch and we’ll head for the marina and spend a few hours out on the water.” 

“I thought you said it was John B and Sarah’s boat. Are they siblings?” She steps in front of Pope when he gestures that she go ahead of him and they walk to his truck. 

Pope opens the passenger door for Natalie and she climbs up to the seat. Once she’s inside, he runs around the front and climbs into the driver’s seat to turn on the car. 

“Nooo, they’re definitely not siblings. John B and Sarah are dating and are well on their way to a fairytale ending. She comes from this wealthy family while he was living on his own at sixteen when his dad went missing. A series of, um…” He pauses, wondering how to describe the gold game without revealing anything. “Let’s just call it strange events brought them together three years ago and you can’t separate them now, no matter how hard you try,” he explains. He puts the truck in reverse and backs out of the space. “He asked her to move in with him a few weeks ago and JJ, who you’ll meet, Kie, and I all have a bet on when he’s going to ask her to marry him.”

Natalie raises her eyebrows, suddenly intrigued. “Oh really? Well, I’ll just need to judge that for myself. Maybe I’ll throw some money into the pool once I meet them,” she states casually. 

“Yeah, JJ and I shook on it while Kie was honor-systemed in since she’s in Brazil traveling. Kie and I are convinced it’s gonna happen by the end of this summer, but JJ seems to think he’ll wait ‘til after she graduates from CNU.” 

Pope pulls onto the main road and they pass several other trucks and SUVs tugging their boats to the marina. 

“Okay, enough about my friends. You’ll meet them in a couple of hours. Did you get the interview for that non-profit internship you applied for?” 

“I could have sworn I told you. Yeah, I did! I’m interning with a medical society in Chesapeake starting in June. It’s not much, but it’s paid and it’s work experience, so I’m excited about it.” 

“How long is it for?”

“Until the end of July. It’s Monday through Friday for 25 hours a week, which is why I jumped on the chance to visit my cousin in Emerald Isle now and stop on the way to see you.” The young woman tucks a stray curl behind her ear and smiles shyly at him. 

Pope grins. “Well, I’m really glad you came. I don’t get to play tour guide very often, so if I’m going as fast as McGinley did during his lab demonstrations, just tell me,” he jokes. 

She throws her head back and laughs. “God, we could never keep up with that man in class, could we? It’s a miracle we got through lab with him this semester and actually passed!” 

“We passed by the skin of our teeth, Nat. You were in just as many study sessions with the TA as I was,” he argues between laughs. They stop at a red light and catch their breath. 

The girl sitting beside him gazes out the window and takes in the coastal town’s views. Pope stares at her, a smile slowly crossing over his lips. 

_She actually came to visit._ He’s in a slight state of disbelief that the girl from down the hall of his dorm, who became his lab partner, wanted to see him this summer. It gives him hope that she reciprocates his feelings. 

When she senses his eyes lingering on the back of her head, she turns. 

“What?” Natalie questions with a slight tilt of her head. Her question and a car horn honking from behind, telling him to drive, pull him out of his trance and he accelerates down the pavement. 

Pope feels his face grow warm in embarrassment. He could lie to her and say nothing- the safe, casual response. Or, he could be upfront and express his feelings to her, and risk rejection. Either way, he needs to answer her now.

“I know I’ve already said this, but I’m glad you came to visit,” he tells her truthfully. “Would it be too forward for me to say that I missed you?” 

As soon as the words leave his mouth, he internally cringes. The left side of his brain decided to be risky. 

“I-I,” he stammers, now flustered. _I wasn’t supposed to say that out loud._

Natalie reaches out and lays a hand on his arm. “Pope, stop freaking out. You’re doing that thing you did in lab when you get nervous and start tripping over words. It’s okay, trust me,” she reassures him. “I missed you too, and I’m really glad I could come to visit.” 

Even with his eyes focused on the road, he could hear the smile in her voice. A quick glance in her direction confirms this. 

Her response both relaxes and excites him. It’s almost like she is trying to tell him that she likes him too… 

Pope shakes off his momentary lapse in concentration and smiles before turning on his best bus-tour guide voice. 

“Well, how about I take you around the best spots Kildare County has to offer? Our first point of interest is the Redfield lighthouse on the right. The guy who takes care of it is a really weird guy.” 

\--- 

“Princess, so glad you finally showed up after making us wait for an extra half hour,” JJ calls out to the dirty blonde walking down the dock of the Pelican Marina towards him. She is holding two paper bags of food from The Wreck. 

John B, Pope, and Natalie are seated on the _Pogue II_ while he stands on dry land, waiting for Sarah to arrive. It’s almost 1:00 in the afternoon, thirty minutes later than they planned to get out on the water. 

She sets the bags down, digs out a container, and opens it to reveal a generous serving of fries. “Do you want me to dump your fries in the marsh, JJ? I’ve done it once before and I’m not afraid to do it again,” she threatens. 

JJ vigorously shakes his head. “No no no no! Not necessary, Miss Cameron. May I assist you in getting aboard?” He holds out his hand in a sweeping motion for her to take. 

The dirty blonde shakes her head and picks up the bags. “You never rush Mike Carerra’s cooking and you never miss a chance to chat with Anna, especially when she throws in extra dessert for us for free,” she reminds him while handing him the bags. 

JJ is ready with an immediate comeback. “Don’t you remember Kie ranting about how grease is bad for the birds? You’d be doing more harm to the environment than to me.” 

“Whatever. Kie still thought it was hilarious the first time,” Sarah mutters under her breath before turning her attention to the boy making his way to the edge of the boat. 

“Hey, Vlad!” She looks up and removes the sunglasses covering her eyes. Her eyes are bright and full of love for the boy grinning at her. 

John B stands with one foot on the stern and one on the dock and holds a hand out for her. She steps off the marina dock and into his waiting arms. 

“Hey Val,” he returns. He wraps an arm around her tightly and leans down to kiss her hello. They get lost in their little bubble and quickly forget about the other three people around them. 

At the front of the boat, Pope and Natalie snicker under their breath. They lay stretched out on the bow quietly conversing when the dirty blonde finally appeared with their lunch and threatened to dump french fries into the water. 

“So that’s Sarah,” he points out. “Also known as Val by John B and Princess by JJ.” 

Natalie huffs out a short laugh. “I figured as much. Now I know what you meant when you said John B and Sarah are on their way towards a fairytale ending!” She pauses. “How much did you say you and JJ were betting on them getting engaged by the end of the summer?” 

“Fifty bucks. Why?” 

The girl smirks. “Oh, I’m throwing money in the pool. I want in. I’m certain it’s gonna happen before the fall semester starts, just looking at them, and if it doesn’t happen, then I’ll be ready to ask him ‘what the hell are you waiting for’?” 

On the dock, JJ lets out a loud groan. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Come on, guys! Really? You just saw each other yesterday.” He is growing impatient and hungrier by the minute, but the couple is preventing him from getting on board. 

“Pope, a little assistance would be great while mom and dad here suck each other’s faces off. Natalie, I’m sorry that this has to be your first impression of these two. It’s really uncomfortable to watch, I know. I’ll have to live with it in a couple of weeks.” 

Pope jumps to his feet and moves towards the stern to take the bags from the blond. 

“Want me to get her started?” He tilts his head toward the helm, silently hoping his friend says yes so he can flex for Natalie. 

“Yeah, one sec, I want to try something.” JJ holds a finger up and smirks before loosening the line from the cleat on the dock. 

“Aww shit! Sarah, I just dropped the fries,” he cries out dramatically. He looks down at the gap between the boat and the dock in fake disbelief. 

The couple immediately pulls apart. Sarah’s head whips around, her dirty-blonde hair flying into her boyfriend’s face. “What?” She shouts incredulously. “JJ Maybank, I swear, if you-” 

The blond Pogue bends over laughing hysterically while holding on to the bowline. When she sees he no longer holds the bag of food, she crosses her arms over her chest and scowls. 

“All it took for y’all to stop making out was a fake accident over some fries!” JJ grins up at her while loosening the rest of the springline knot. “Start ‘er up, Pope!”

“Ay yay, captain,” Pope calls out at the helm.

“Fuck you, Maybank,” Sarah spits out, moving away from the stern and her boyfriend who is trying to mask his own laughter. 

“I love you too, roomie!” The blond finishes untying the knot that tied the _Pogue II_ against the dock and tosses it to John B on the deck. “Now give me my fries before the Kook Princess actually tosses them overboard as payback.”

He steps off the dock and joins his friends on the boat as Pope slowly guides it away from the marina. 

Natalie raises an eyebrow. “Kook? Pope, what’s a Kook?”

The young man glances down quickly at the helm controls, steering the boat into the open water before answering. “Did you ever read _The Outsiders_?” 

She sits up and hums. 

“Okay, so do you remember the two gangs in it? The Greasers and the Socs?” 

Natalie nods. 

“Well in the Outer Banks, we have the Pogues, our working class, and the Kooks, the people who own two houses.” The literary reference is the best way to describe the real-life feud between the two groups on Kildare Island. 

“You’re telling me that y’all are the real-life version of _The Outsiders_? Please don’t tell me y’all got into gang fights like they had in the book.” Disbelief is evident in her voice. It isn’t directed toward Pope like she thinks he is lying to her. It’s more the fact that it’s a real thing that exists outside of the books she read in middle and high school, and it’s something he grew up experiencing. 

JJ comes up behind his friend and throws an arm over his shoulder. “Hell yeah, we did. Princess’s older brother and ex threw a few punches at each of us over the years. She’s one of us though.” 

“I guess you could also think of it like the rivalry the Capulets and the Montagues from Romeo and Juliet had, except, in this case, John B is Romeo and Sarah’s Juliet and there’s no suicide at the end,” Pope adds. 

Sarah turns around when she hears her name. “Oh my God, I totally forgot we have a guest. I’m so sorry that you had to wait for me! Hi, I’m Sarah. You must be Natalie!” She walks toward the other girl and sticks a hand out to shake. 

Their guest stands up and takes Sarah’s hand. “Please, don’t apologize. It’s great to finally put a face to the name. Pope talked about y’all a lot while we were at school.” Her eyes dart over to the mentioned Pogue and she grins.

The teen standing behind the helm returns her smile and laughs lightly before looking down at the controls again. 

Sarah picks up on the silent exchange between the pair; she can feel the flirtatious energy between them and it excites her. When she sees John B come up behind his two best friends, she knows exactly what to say next. 

“Pope, can you bring the food over,” the dirty blonde encourages over her shoulder. “Are you hungry?” 

Natalie nods. “I ate an early breakfast this morning so yeah, I’m definitely ready to eat.”

Pope and JJ carry the paper bags from The Wreck toward them as John B takes over the steering. JJ tears into his bag and starts shoveling fries into his mouth, ignoring Sarah’s scoff of disgust. 

“You should have said something, Nat. I would’ve stopped somewhere before taking you around,” Pope says, passing one bag off to Sarah. He sits down beside Natalie and pulls out two recyclable take-out containers for them. He sounds embarrassed, but she brushes it off. 

“Don’t worry. I had a granola bar on the drive down. Besides, I was excited to see you,” she admits with a small shrug. 

JJ stops chewing and swallows the food in his mouth before his jaw drops. He slowly turns his head toward his friend, his eyes wide in surprise. 

“Why did I come? I’m fifth wheeling y’all and it’s making me really fucking uncomfortable right now,” JJ loudly complains. He stands up and walks away from them. He stops to pull open a cooler and cracks open a beer before proceeding to the transom at the back of the boat and stretching out on the seat. 

“Hey JJ,” Pope confidently calls out, throwing an arm around Natalie’s shoulder. 

“What?” 

“You didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to fifth-wheel us. You put yourself in this position, man.” 

The girl beside him starts giggling but tries to hide it with her hand.

“Hey, you got that right, Pope. JJ, you did this to yourself,” John B adds from his seat in the captain’s chair with Sarah on his lap. His arm tightens around her waist and he smirks. 

The single Pogue rolls his eyes and scoffs. “Like I was just going to tow your boat with my truck because I felt like ‘being nice’ and not get some time on the water out of it. Real funny, John B. Really funny.” He continues eating and ignores the romance on the rest of the boat. 

Time passes by quickly on the _Pogue II._ The group soaks up the late-May sun together, but John B, Sarah, and JJ leave Pope and Natalie alone for most of the afternoon. Sarah discretely snaps a few photos of the pair and Airdrops them to the girl’s phone when she isn’t looking. 

Three and a half hours later, the _Pogue II_ returns to the Pelican Marina. When they are close enough, John B cuts off the engine and steers the vessel toward the dock. JJ jumps onto dryland and catches the bowline that Pope tosses at him, making quick work of tying it tightly around the cleat and the boat.

The three young men work like a well-oiled machine to secure the vessel while Natalie stands back and watches. 

“It’s kinda cool to see, right?” Sarah asks the other girl over her shoulder. She’s leaning over the bow to release the anchor while the boys take care of the other docking tasks.

“Yeah. How long have they been doing this?” The young woman sits down beside the dirty blonde. 

“They’ve been friends for years, long before I started dating John B. Growing up in the Outer Banks pretty much guarantees you’ll grow up on the water. For some, it means going to yacht parties and spending days out on your Dad’s big-ass boat because your family has plenty of money for one. For others, it means you’re working at the marina, fixing or prepping the rich’s boats, or fishing to make ends meet and get food on the table,” she explains. “I’ve only been friends with them for about three summers, but they’ve always been like this. They know boats as well as they know each other.” 

Natalie rests her hands against the edge of the seat and leans forward slightly. “I still can’t get over the whole Pogues versus Kooks thing.” 

Sarah laughs. “Trust me, I still don’t get it either. But all the fights between them and my older brother somehow brought John B, JJ, Pope, and Kie into my life and I wouldn’t be hanging out here today without them.” 

They fall into a comfortable silence while the boys double-check knots, engines, and navigation systems to make sure all are off and secure. 

“Thanks for Airdropping those photos, by the way,” Natalie nudges her elbow against Sarah’s arm. She shows off her new lockscreen, which is one of the photos she received during the afternoon. 

They stand up and gather their stuff before making their way to the stern where the boys wait on the dock. Pope holds a hand out for Natalie to take, which she immediately takes, and hops off the _Pogue II_. Neither lets go of the other’s hand; after a quick glance at their clasped hands and at each other, both visibly relax. 

“Thank you guys for such a great afternoon. I had a lot of fun hanging with y’all and I hate that I have to go, but I need to get to Emerald Isle at some point today,” Natalie explains. She squeezes Pope’s hand and leans against his arm. 

“Hey, it was great meeting you,” John B calls over his shoulder. He lifts Sarah off the boat by her waist and wraps an arm around her when her feet land on the dock. “You should come back to visit at some point this summer if you can. Maybe I’ll let Pope borrow the _Pogue_ so he can show you around the rest of the island,” he suggests with a smirk.

Sarah lightly smacks her boyfriend’s chest before smiling at Natalie again. “We’ll leave y’all to it. Have a safe drive down there!” 

The trio of soon-to-be roommates leaves them at the end of the dock. 

“Soo…” Pope starts to say, unsure of what to say next when Natalie cuts him off. 

“I like you a lot, Pope.”

Her declaration takes him aback in an I-wasn’t-expecting-you-to-say-that kind of way. He’s not complaining though. If anything, it motivates him to speak up himself. 

“I like you a lot too, Nat. And I’m really glad you could come hang out today. What do you think about stopping to get dinner with me on your way home from Emerald Isle?” 

A wide smile that spreads across her face. “I’d love to,” she answers softly. 

They slowly walk back to the marina’s gravel parking lot where Pope’s truck is parked, their fingers tangled together. As much as they don’t want to say goodbye, they end up in the strip mall parking lot where they left her car that morning. 

Before she climbs into her car, Natalie presses her lips against his cheek. “I’ll text you when I get there. Thanks for a great day,” she tells him. 

She waves goodbye as she pulls out of the parking space, and disappears down the road, leaving him leaning against the side of his truck. 

_Well damn, Pope. I don’t know what we are now, but she definitely likes you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave your thoughts on the chapter in the comments! Don't forget to leave kudos and come talk to me about the fic on my Tumblr, alexandracheers.tumblr.com.
> 
> Thanks for reading my fic. I appreciate each and every one of you.


	10. movin' up (then I'm movin' out)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The roommates continue renovating the kitchen and start work on JJ’s room, Kie announces her next destination, Sarah attempts to speak with Ward, and our favorite couple has another heart-to-heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I managed to finish this chapter after getting a burst of inspiration to write the rest of it. While I think this is more of a filler chapter, some important stuff happens, so pay close attention! Enjoy!
> 
> Chapter inspired by "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" by Billy Joel and "Notice" by Thomas Rhett
> 
> Trigger Warning: mentions of abuse of a minor and violence, alcoholism

_“It seems such a waste of time, if that's what it's all about, mama if that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.”_

_-“Movin Out (Anthony’s Song)” by Billy Joel_

“Hey, princess? Why are there so many plants in the back of your car, and will I have to take care of them? I thought you and Vlad were just getting the wood stain for the cabinets this morning, not buying up the entire garden center at Lowe’s.” 

JJ strolls through the open front door, electrical tool kit from the truck in hand. He’s ready to install the other ceiling fans throughout the house this morning. Despite his disinterest in the greenery, the collection of plants spread across the backseat of the Volvo XC90 caught his attention, and he wants to make sure he won’t be held responsible if they die. 

Sarah glances up from the cabinet door she’s wiping excess pre-stain conditioner off with a rag. 

“I thought plants would brighten the place up a little bit. It’s not like they require that much work. I picked out the low-maintenance ones so you two wouldn’t kill them while I’m at school in the fall,” she answers casually, shrugging her shoulders. 

“Hey!” The two boys stop what they’re doing- JJ, picking up pieces to install the kitchen ceiling fan, and John B, crouched down, conditioning the lower cabinets- and scowl, moderately offended. 

“Oh shut up, both of you. John B, I had to remind you to buy toilet paper- when I was at school. Toilet paper,” she emphasizes. “I had to call Dad and ask if you could borrow the Sam’s Club membership so you could stock up, remember?” 

A laugh comes out from the speaker of Sarah’s computer, which is set up on the kitchen table beside some extra rags and paintbrushes. Curious as to who it might be, JJ walks over to Sarah’s workspace. A wide grin spreads across his face when he sees who is on the other side.

“Kie! I didn’t know you were calling this morning. What’s up, Carerra?” 

“Hi JJ. Yeah, I was texting Sarah last night and she mentioned y’all were doing some reno projects today so I wanted to catch up. Surprise!” The curly-haired girl waves both hands with a showman’s flair. “Is Pope around? I haven’t said hi to him yet.” 

John B straightens up from his position on the floor and wipes some sweat off his brow with the charcoal bandana around his neck. 

“No Pope today. He got roped into opening the shop and doing deliveries for Heyward, but he said if he finished early, he’d stop by,” he explains, walking towards the computer. “I think we’ll be fine though. There are plenty more projects that we’ll need his help with.” He throws an arm over his girlfriend’s shoulder while his eyes pass over the collection of doors in front of her. 

“So how long do we wait for this stuff to dry before we can start putting the stain on?” He mumbles under his breath for only Sarah to hear. 

The dirty blonde looks up. “Directions said to wait ten to fifteen minutes and wipe the excess off. I just did that but I want to let it sit a few more before I flip ‘em and do the other side. We can start working on the rest of the lowers in the meantime,” she answers softly. 

She lifts a hand to rub something off his face with her thumb and leaves it to rest against his cheek. 

Kie briefly looks away from the camera. She feels as if she’s intruding on a private moment, even if John B and Sarah’s quiet side-conversations are something she should be used to after three years. 

The couple can be sickenly sweet in their affection for one another but they are truly perfect together. She can only hope that with the way their relationship is progressing, John B makes his intentions about their future clear. He just might need a gentle nudge in the right direction. 

Kie looks up again to watch Sarah pat him on the chest when something glares into the camera. It catches her attention and her mind goes towards one thought: 

_Holy shit- did he?_

“Hey, Sarah, what’s that on your hand?” She blurts out. A hint of caution lines the otherwise loaded question. 

The three Pogues look at the camera, taken aback by the question. 

All color drains from John B’s face while his eyes widen in surprise- or is it fear? Kie can’t tell. 

Sarah’s head tilts to the side, a look of confusion present in her brown eyes and furrowed eyebrows. 

“Nothing, unless you’re asking about my nails, which I got done earlier this week. I took off most of my jewelry before I started so I didn't ruin anything. Why?” She extends her arm out to inspect them before flipping around to show her friend the color. 

Kie lets out a yawn, which covers her sigh of relief. She’s two hours ahead of her friends in the Outer Banks, but she woke up 30 minutes ago after a late-night club-hopping with Karly, Jayla, Mo, and a few others. 

_I’m imaging stuff if my first thought was that Sarah had a ring. Where the hell did I put my coffee?_

“Oh, no reason, I just thought I saw something. It must have just been the sun reflecting off one of your bracelets. Forget I said anything,” she lies between her teeth while she looks for her abandoned coffee mug around her. She finds it underneath her seat and takes a long sip of the caffeinated drink to wake her up. 

From over John B’s shoulder, she can see JJ giving her the dirtiest look she’s ever received from him. 

“You got lucky,” he mouths. His eyes narrow at her through the camera as he walks past the computer to another part of the kitchen. 

The leader of the Pogues releases a deep breath and his shoulders sag forward. Color returns to his face, but he takes a small step away from the dirty blonde girl to take a sip of water. 

“You okay, babe?” Sarah quietly questions. Her eyes flicker between her boyfriend and her best friend. A small nod from John B and a quick squeeze to her waist is his answer, which satisfies the dirty blonde.   
  
“Anyway, I have some news!” Kie takes control of the conversation and steers it in a different direction. After nearly revealing the engagement bet between her, JJ, and Pope, she needs to redirect her friends’ attention and fast.

The trio looks up at her again on the screen. JJ returns to the table holding fan paddles that need to be unwrapped. His best friend takes two from him to assist. 

“What's your news?” John B questions as he and JJ tear the plastic away. 

“So I'm leaving São Paulo in a couple of days. My friends and I booked a flight to Rio de Janeiro. We’ll be there by the end of the week.”

Her news is met with a chorus of excited reactions from her friends. 

“Oh, and y’all better keep your eyes open for some things in the mail in the next couple weeks. I picked up some stuff that I’m shipping home today or tomorrow,” she teases. 

She is excited to fly to the 2016 Olympic city at the end of the week with her friends. Their hour-long flight is booked and Mo arranged for his cousin to pick them up at the airport when they land. After hitting up the tourist spots like Christ the Redeemer and Escadaria Selarón, the group plans to hike through Tijuca National Park, the city’s rainforest, and visit Sugarloaf Mountain, among other spots in and around the city. 

“Oh really? Kiara Carrera willingly went shopping and I didn't have to drag her with me? I thought you didn't like to shop, but here you are on another continent buying gifts for us.” Sarah raises a teasing eyebrow and smirks. 

Kie rolls her eyes. 

“Hey, talk shit all you'd like, Sar. You'd like exploring all the outdoor markets if you were here. There's so much fresh produce, pastries, street food, and- oh my gosh- the handmade artwork. You'd love it. It's all locally made, you're buying straight from the artist…” She could talk for hours about fair-trade shopping and supporting small businesses and artisans over buying the inauthentic chachkies that are supposedly “imported” and sold at home decor shops. 

Sarah flips over the cabinet doors on the table and dips a paintbrush into the can of conditioner. She leans over the wood and drags the brush over the unfinished side before she responds.   
  
“Kie, you know I like other things besides shopping. I’m not the stuck-up Kook princess y’all think I always act like. It’s just that- an act- to mostly stay in Ward’s good graces.” She pauses. “Ward’s a better actor with his hot-and-cold personality changes when we’re out in public,” she adds offhandedly. 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.” Kie waves off the comment. “You like playing tennis and school and you like White Claws and getting dressed up and your boyfriend-” 

“Excuse me,” the dirty blonde cuts off her tangent. She straightens her back and rests a hand on her hip, staring straight at the camera on her laptop. “I love my boyfriend. I thought me moving in with him made that perfectly clear.” 

JJ lets out a short laugh. “Well damn, Kie. She’s got you there!” He points at the camera. “Hey, how’s the surfing in Rio? I’ve heard the waves are fucking ridiculous down there. Are you planning to rent a board while you’re there?” 

John B sets the fan paddle aside and stands behind the dirty blonde. “Love you too, Sarah,” he mumbles into her shoulder while rubbing his hand up and down her side. The girl visibly melts into his embrace. 

Kie grins. “JJ, every time I call I have to remind you that I’m in a different part of the world. Just because it’s summer in the Outer Banks and perfect surfing weather doesn’t mean it’s like that in the Southern Hemisphere where it’s early winter- Ugh, get a room, you two. Cut it out with all the mushiness and domestic shit while I'm talking to y’all, I'm begging you.” She pretends to gag at the couple’s PDA.

John B rests his chin on Sarah’s shoulder and gives Kie a wicked grin. “Well, that isn't a problem. I mean, our room is right there,” he points out as he slowly guides his girlfriend backward and toward their room. 

“If that’s what you call foreplay, John B, then you really need to up your game. And excuse me- I’m talking to y’all! Now’s not the time to disappear for a booty call, Sarah! Remember uteruses before duderuses? Hoes before bros? Girl!” she cries out, faking the desperation in her voice.

JJ quickly moves in front of their bedroom door and crosses his arms, blocking their entrance. “Yeah no, you’re not gonna do the dirty deed while I’m out here working. Nice try, Vlad and Val,” he says with a head shake and a snort.

“Oh quit acting all horny, Vlad,” Sarah playfully admonishes with a fluff of his hair before rising onto her toes and whispering something in his ear. 

The gleeful look that crosses his brown eyes followed by an eager nod could only mean one thing. 

JJ cups his hands around his mouth. “There’s gonna be some John D action tonight, y’all,” he yells. “Bow chicka wow wow,” he adds while making an obscene gesture. 

The act causes Sarah and Kie to start laughing while John B flips off the blond and grumbles about wanting to love on his girlfriend in peace. The dirty blonde half-heartedly shoves JJ in the shoulder before stepping out of her boyfriend’s arms and returns to her abandoned task. 

“So how long do you think you’re gonna be in Rio for? Are you going to be there for most of the summer,” she casually asks. “I know you’re having an amazing time.” 

Behind her, John B and JJ grab a paintbrush and start painting the wood conditioner on the upper cabinets while listening to their conversation.

The curly-haired Pogue leans back in her balcony seat and lets her eyes pass over the city skyline. She isn’t sure how long she’ll be in the former Olympic city; she didn’t intend to stay in São Paolo for as long as she has, but the culture and sense of adventure won her over. Mo, Karly, Jayla mentioned staying in Rio through the end of the year but they’re a year or two older than her. She doesn’t know if she can wait that long to see her friends and family again in person. 

Yes, she’s having an amazing time exploring the South American country. At the same time, she misses her people- the Pogues. They’re working on a big project together and she can’t help or watch it come together in person. She misses The Wreck and the rush of Tourons at lunch and dinner time. She misses her parents. She misses Boneyard parties and JJ’s cousin’s questionable weed deals (that she benefits from either way).

  
Kie’s never been one to worry about FOMO; she certainly didn’t experience it when she ditched her family’s Kook lifestyle to spend time on the Cut with her boys, even if her trust fund value skyrocketed from her cut of the _Royal Merchant_ gold. Now she has FOMO because she’s an ocean away from her friends while they’re home from college and she’s missing out on a big moment in their lives. 

John B turns around when she doesn’t respond. “Kie? You okay?” He steps closer to the laptop and tries to gauge what she’s thinking through the screen. 

She runs a hand through her hair and nods. “Yeah, yeah, I’m- I’m good. I'm not sure how long I'll be here. I just miss y’all. I wish I was able to help redo the Chateau. Hearing y’all talk about it makes me miss the place and want to get my hands dirty painting or something.” 

“Well you’re not missing much, I can tell ya that! These two,” he gestures to the couple, “get sidetracked pretty easily by each other. Who would’ve thought I’d be the one responsible for keeping those two fake Russians on a deadline!”

Kie throws her head back and laughs. The idea of JJ managing to keep one of the most responsible people she knows (i.e. not John Booker Routledge) on task is hilarious, given how reckless and irresponsible the blond can be. 

“We’re all growing up, JJ,” she states with a grin. “Turns out getting your GRE and going to trade school before the rest of us finished high school worked out in your favor. You’re project managing Sarah Cameron, Kook Princess, of all people!”

Realization dawns across the electrician’s face. “Huh, I guess you’re right,” he says with a proud nod. 

JJ puffs up his chest and turns toward the couple. “Alright lovebirds, here are the ground rules while working on a JJ Maybank project-” 

“This should be good,” Sarah sarcastically stage whispers to her laptop. Kie winks at her friend and giggles.

“Excuse me, Princess, please don’t disrespect me on the job site.” Her future roommate gives her a stern look. “Now as I was saying- rule number one: no booty calls while working. Rule number two: no PDA while working. You’re reminding me that I’m single. Rule number three: no sex on any food surfaces. That’s nasty as fuck. Rule number four-” 

“Hey,” John B interrupts him, his arms crossed over his chest. “Are all your rules only for Sarah and me?” 

JJ doesn’t waste any time with his answer. “Yeah, they are. No sex on the job. Deal with it.” He shrugs and dips his brush into the can of wood conditioner. 

Kie raises her eyebrows. “Okay, well, I’m gonna go. Y’all clearly have stuff to do and talk about, and I need to start packing for Rio. Sarah, I’ll send you a tracking number once I ship the stuff, okay? Good luck with the rest of your tennis lessons this week!” 

“Thank you!” 

She waves at the group on her screen. “Bye guys! I miss your faces. Send me photos when the kitchen’s all done!” 

Kie ends the video call and leans back in her seat. A few streets away, the noise levels rise as more people leave their homes and wander in and out of the shops and markets. Just below her balcony, a group of middle-school-aged boys shows off their football skills, bouncing the black and white ball off their feet, knees, and chests. 

She will miss São Paulo but Rio de Janeiro is calling her name. There’s more she wants to see and experience in Brazil before returning home. But first, she needs breakfast and streetfood sounds very appetizing. She will need plenty of energy to wander around in search of a FedEx or DHL store to ship her gifts to North Carolina from. 

\---

“John B, you’re crooked. Lift your end just a smidge- yep, right there,” Sarah instructs from the other side of JJ’s bedroom. She is leaning against the window as John B and JJ prepare to mount one of the blond surfer’s old boards to the wall above his bed. 

“Hold still. I need to mark off where y’all have it level,” she tells them, snatching a white pencil from the window sill and marking where they will drill screws into the wall for the surfboard rack. 

“Thanks, man. I’ll take care of the other two boards and getting the racks put up before I take off for the mainland for that job with Greg. I know you got some Kooky bullshit thing to do this afternoon,” he teases. JJ takes the board from his best friend and leans it against the wall. 

John B shakes his head. “No, I don’t. I’m working. The marina is the furthest thing from Kooky. You know that.”

The dirty blonde girl rolls her eyes. “Just because I’m going to the beach club to work doesn’t automatically make it fancy. I’m teaching tennis lessons with Jeff to my ten and unders at 2 before my match against Scarlet at 4:30.” She sighs. “I’m gonna try and see if I can have lunch with Dad at his office before I go to work. It’s not exactly an ambush, but I need to talk to him about moving out. We’re getting further in the reno, and I need to tell him while he’s in a good mood.” 

Sarah bites her lip and looks down at her sneakers. She’s not scared of talking to Ward; she’s more concerned he won’t be as open-minded toward the idea as she’d like. His temper can come out full-force if the smallest thing sets him off. 

Her boyfriend reaches out and grasps her hand, sensing her nerves. Ward Cameron plays the doting father role well but he isn’t as open to change in his personal life as he probably should. John B knows this first hand: when he went to his former guardian and asked for a signature on the emancipation paperwork at 17, he wasn’t exactly livid, but he also wasn’t thrilled over the idea. 

JJ picks up a tape measure laying on the floor. “What’s that saying? The way to a guy’s heart is through his stomach? Breaking the news with food should be okay.” He starts measuring one of his smaller boards that are propped up against the closet. 

The dirty blonde girl looks up and laughs dryly. “I don’t think that applies to fathers and daughters, but nice try, JJ.” 

“Well, I tried. Whatever. Go talk to Daddy Money Bags and teach little kids how to hit a ball over a net. I’ll see y’all later.” He turns on his Bluetooth speaker and Jimmy Buffet’s voice starts to play from his Spotify library. 

John B and Sarah take that as their cue to leave and depart the Chateau, leaving JJ at the fish shack by himself. 

He gets to work measuring the remaining two boards, determines where he wants to hang them, and drills the $20 mounting pieces he found online into the newly-stained shiplap walls. As the familiar blend of Caribbean, country, and rock music from “Margaritaville” surrounds him, his mind wanders back in time to when he finally considered the Chateau his home and not ‘John B’s place.’

Escaping the deadbeat and abusive father that is Luke Maybank and (unofficially) moving into the Chateau with John B a few years ago is one of the reasons he is still alive today. At some point, the guest room that Big John let him stay in over the years turned into “JJ’s room” and it's been that way ever since. Now it’s his space and he can do whatever he wants to make it his own.

Next to finding the _Royal Merchant’s_ gold with the Pogues three summers ago and finishing trade school, his best friend’s recent purchase of the Chateau from Uncle T is one of the best things to ever happen to him. He has a solid roof over his head, clean running water, structurally sound walls, and constant electricity- all things he seldom had as a kid. A rundown house and a jackass dad are things of his past. 

The Pogues always joke that the Chateau is their clubhouse. It’s still their clubhouse but now it’s JJ’s real home and the people he shares it with- they’re his family. He assumes this sense of safety and warmth is what a real home should feel like. There’s no such thing as drunk and violent rages, broken glass, black eyes, and split lips inflicted on him by someone who is supposed to love him. The kicks to the stomach, sharp punches to his jaw and nose, and glass bottles shattered over his skull are things he doesn’t physically experience anymore, but the trauma remains. It will take a long time for him to heal from the abuse; his friends will support him through the good and the bad days.

JJ has always felt at home at the Chateau. It was a safe place to escape the horrors that surround Luke Maybank. It wasn’t until last year in the days leading up to his 18th birthday that he realized he could get out of his dad’s reach and it was thanks to a drunken tangent from his best friend. John B suggested sneaking into the Maybank’s house in the middle of the night to grab any remaining stuff from his childhood bedroom and move in with him since they are “basically grownups now with a shit ton of change in their bank accounts.” Sarah and Kie immediately protested, citing how dangerous it was to go back, but JJ was up for it, especially if it meant Luke was out of his life for good. 

“Let's do it. Stick it to the bastard that fucked me over my whole life. Pope, you in?” He was a little buzzed but more coherent than John B. 

The young black man sitting on the other side of the fire hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I’m in. Let’s get your shit, man.”

The night before he turned 18, he snuck into Luke’s house- because he refused to call it his own- with help from Pope and John B and collected as much of his stuff as the three of them could take. He didn’t have much: a few remaining clothes and swimsuits, an extra pair of work boots, his mother’s ring, a few surfboards, and his birth certificate and Social Security card. Anything else wasn’t important. He has all he needs at the Chateau. 

As he and his friends snuck out the window to escape, JJ stopped and gazed at the older man passed out across the room. Luke lay on the couch, snoring heavily and dead to the world. A few broken bottles of Bud Lite, his poison of the day, lay scattered across the floor. It was at that moment that he promised to never be like his father- to get so drunk and violent to another person, someone he loves, that he hurts them as bad as he did. He swore he’d never drink a bottle of hard liquor again. The only unopened bottle of Jack Daniels on the shelf caught his eye in the moonlight, and without a second thought, he grabbed it, unscrewed the top, and poured the Tennessee whisky down the kitchen sink before leaving for the last time. 

Pope and John B sat in the Twinkie with the engine running, and when he finally climbed into the passenger seat, he let out a shout of relief to cover the tears that collected in his eyes. 

_This is it. No more deadbeat dad. You’re finally free._

“Freedom, baby! I’ve moved up in this fucking world and I’m movin’ on,” he cries as John B pulls the van away from the dilapidated house for the last time. 

Pope connects his phone to the aux and the opening piano notes of “Movin' Out” by Billy Joel blast through the mostly blown-out speakers. The song choice feels appropriate, given the circumstance. JJ tips his head back against the headrest, listening to Billy Joel’s voice filter out the open windows from the Twinkie. The first step of overcoming the Maybank stereotype was complete: he’s finally free from Luke Maybank. As they approached the Chateau and saw the girls anxiously awaiting their return, he knew he was home. 

He insists that he’s not a hugger, but once he got out of the van, Sarah and Kie threw their arms around him and he allowed himself to break down in tears. In a few seconds, John B and Pope wrapped themselves around the trio and said a silent prayer of thanks that they made it there and back without any issues. 

His people- John B, Pope, Kie, Sarah- they are his family. It wasn’t the one he was given at birth, but it’s the one he chose and it's the one he fiercely protects with every fiber in him. Every home needs a family and the Chateau is home to him and the Pogues. 

\---

Nervous energy washes over Sarah when she parks her car in the downtown parking lot across from her father’s office. 

She flips down the sun visor and stares into the mirror. 

“Get ahold of yourself. It’s just visiting Ward at lunchtime. It’s not that big of a deal,” she reminds herself. “You can do this. You’re Sarah Cameron, you’re nineteen years old, and you can tell Ward exactly what you’re gonna do: you’re moving in with John B and nothing’s gonna stop you-” 

A sudden tap on her window and a male voice interrupt her pep talk. “Sarah?”

“Ahh! Oh my gosh!” Her ponytail whips around and she meets Kelce Phillips’s amused expression. 

“Oh, hey Kelce! What are you doing here?” She breathes heavily while trying to settle her racing heart. She catches her breath

“I was gonna ask you the same thing.” He eyes her cautiously. “You good? ” He raises an eyebrow as if confirming that she’s okay and not going insane. 

Sarah sighs and turns off the Volvo before grabbing her wristlet and opening the door. The young black man steps out of the way as she climbs out and closes it when she’s out of the way. 

“Thank you,” she says gratefully. “Yeah, I’m good, just a bit nervous. I’m stopping by Dad’s office to see if he wants to get lunch. I need to talk to him about something important and I’m hoping lunch will put him in a good enough mood for me to break the news.” 

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Your dad is pretty great. My mom says she always runs into him around this time since her dermatology practice is just across the street from his office.” He checks his watch and gives her an apologetic smile. “Hey- I’m sorry, but I’m meeting Top and a few of his frat brothers at the golf course in half an hour but I promised Mom I’d stop by for a few minutes.”

Sarah raises a surprised eyebrow. “You’re willingly going to hang out with High Point frat boys?” she questions. 

“Yeah, I know. Not exactly my kind of crowd,” Kelce says, shoving his hands into the pockets of his golf pants. “But Topper said they were passing through the area for the day and I figured why not get a game of golf out of it. I know we grew up pretty comfortable living here, but guys at High Point take Kook living to a whole new level.” 

_So they fall into the stereotypical non-scholarship High Point student category,_ she thinks. “Well, I won’t hold you up. Tell your mom I say hi for me, and good luck with the Kooky High Pointers,” she says good-naturedly. 

Kelce walks off, leaving Sarah to mentally prepare herself for the conversation she hopes to have with Ward. She takes a few deep breaths to calm her heart and mind before crossing the parking lot and entering the lobby of the three-story office building. 

-

The elevator opens on the third floor and Sarah steps out to find herself standing at the office’s glass doors. 

_It’s now or later, and you don’t want to deal with this later._

She straightens her shoulders and pulls the door open where she is immediately greeted by Denise, the firm’s older receptionist. She’s the kind of woman who always has candy in a dish and loves to show off the photos of her grandbabies that sit in frames around her desk. 

“Oh, Sarah! What a nice surprise! How have you been, sweetheart?” The older woman stands and circles the reception area to pull her into a warm hug. 

“I’m great, thank you. How are you?” Sarah asks politely, a smile plastered to her lips. She loves talking to Denise, but she’s here for one purpose: to talk to Ward. Her eyes dart around the office space, looking around for her dad. 

“Oh, I’m just wonderful! My granddaughter Ellie just started crawling a few days ago and little Jacob finished kindergarten,” Denise shares. “Oh,” she exclaims. “But you must be here for your father. I think he’s still on a phone call but go ahead into his office. I’m sure he’ll be very happy to see you before his lunch meeting!” 

Sarah feels her confidence and shoulders drop with her forced smile. 

“Oh.” She frowns. “He has a lunch meeting? When?” 

The receptionist smiles softly, picking up on the nineteen-year old’s disappointment. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’d take it off his calendar if it wasn’t a meeting with the mayor. His assistant called a few minutes before you walked in to schedule it at the last minute. He’s supposed to leave in the next ten minutes to make it on time.” She gently squeezes Sarah’s forearm as another wordless apology. 

“You don’t have to apologize, Dee; you’re just doing your job.” Sarah tells her with a half-hearted smile.

Denise shakes her head, refusing her answer. “Oh honey, I can see the disappointment in those beautiful eyes of yours. I remember your mother giving me a similar look when your dad started bringing in more business all those years ago. She’d bring you and Rafe around at lunchtime when he’d be in meetings but as soon as you caught your father’s eye, you’d start wiggling in your mom’s arms and toddle into his office when she finally put you down. He’d wrap those discussions up in five minutes or less just so he could hold you.” 

She feels her cheeks warm and looks down at the ground to hide it, but the older woman stops to lift her chin. 

“Keep your head up. Your mother would be so proud of you, Sarah, just like your father is. You know if you ever need anything, you just let me know.” 

Sarah nods. “I know. Thank you for reminding me of that. I needed to hear someone say that.” She glances over her shoulder to see her father pacing around his office. His voice is muffled through the glass but she can tell he’s growing frustrated from his tense shoulders. 

After thanking the receptionist again, she approaches the office door and softly knocks. 

Her father looks up. She thinks she sees relief in his eyes as he continues his conversation. He waves her in. 

“Hey Bob, I hate to cut you off but my daughter just walked in and I’d love to spend a few minutes with her before my lunch meeting across town. Could we pick this up tomorrow?” 

The corner of her lips quirks into a smile at her father’s words. _At least he’s happy to see me, even if he has to leave for another meeting in a few minutes._ Sarah doesn’t listen for Bob’s response; instead, she pushes the door open to walk inside and steps into Ward’s waiting arms. 

Bob must’ve hung up because a few moments later, Ward sighs heavily while wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Sweetheart, you just saved me. Good Lord, that man never seems to know when to stop talking.” He rubs a hand over her upper back and kisses her temple. “How are you doing? What brings you here today? I thought you’re teaching tennis lessons at the club.” 

Sarah steps out of his embrace and leans her hip against the oak executive desk. She watches as he looks around the space for his extra tie and suit jacket. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d see if you wanted to get lunch. Lessons don’t start until 2 and I just wanted to catch up if you had time.” 

Her father locates the items on the coat rack across the room and walks over to pick them up. “I’m sorry Sarah. I’d love to sit down and have lunch with you, I really would,” he says remorsefully. “But I have a last-minute lunch meeting with the mayor across town. We can talk now if you have something on your mind and it’s quick.” 

Ward holds up two ties: one is a warm yellow with small dots while the other is a navy blue with white dots. “Which one do you like more?” 

The young woman sighs quietly. “What color is your jacket?” 

“Navy blue. Could you get my cufflinks out of the top left drawer for me?” 

“I like the yellow one.” She pulls the desk drawer open and locates the silver “C” monogrammed cufflinks before approaching Ward. 

When he finishes tying the necktie, her father takes the cufflinks from her hand and attaches them to his dress shirt. “Thank you, sweetheart. So what was it you wanted to talk about? I have,” he checks his watch, “five minutes before I need to be on the road.” The smile he flashes reaches his eyes and she can’t help but return it. 

“Oh, it’s not that important. I just wanted to catch up since it feels like we hardly get to see each other these days. Going to brunch with you and Wheezie a few weeks ago was great, but I want to spend some time with you, even if it’s only an hour at lunch.” 

_Way to go, Sarah. Start with a major lie and end with a fluffed-up truth._ She internally rolls her eyes at herself. 

Does she want to spend some time with her father? Of course! A father is his daughter’s first love. They were so close for most of her life. Things slowly changed when he started working longer hours at the office after Rafe OD’ed and the Pogues found the gold three years earlier. Wheezie’s passing suggestion from a few weeks ago that Rafe’s overdose caused her father more financial stress crosses her mind. Based on the conversations she’s overheard between him and Rose, it sounds like her older brother is making great progress at his new program when compared to his first visit to rehab, so why is Ward still spending so much time working and so little time with his family? 

Ward pulls on the navy blue jacket and chuckles. “Well, that’s what happens when you become an adult. I’ve got work, you’ve got tennis lessons and you’re helping John B with his little renovation. We’re all busy and soon everything starts to center around your schedule. It can be a tough pill to swallow but it puts food on the table and a roof over your head. ” 

He grabs his phone, car keys, and padfolio that sits on the corner of his desk. “Thanks for comin’ by, Sarah. I feel much happier than I was before you came in, which I’m sure the mayor will appreciate in about fifteen minutes.” He presses a kiss to the top of her head. “We’ll get lunch soon, I promise. Check with Dee to see when I don’t have anything scheduled so she can block that time off. I love you, sweetheart. I’ll see you later.” 

Sarah watches as Ward leaves, her mouth hanging partially open. 

“Are you fucking kidding me, Dad?” She scoffs. “Check with Dee to schedule a lunch appointment?” She shakes her head in disbelief. “I’m your daughter, not a client. If you want to have lunch with me, you’re gonna have to figure out when you're free because I’m not making a fucking appointment.” 

She strides out of the office with a curt goodbye to Denise and makes a last-minute decision. 

_Forget lunch. I need to hit some tennis balls now so I don’t take any ten and unders out with my aggressive backhand this afternoon._

\---

Sunset on the Outer Banks is always a beautiful sight. With the first day of summer a few days away, John B feels a shift in the air as he drives home from his six-hour shift at the marina. It’s warmer, the humidity is rising, and the air is a little bit saltier. 

He’s tired, but he knows there’s stuff to do at the Chateau. His takeout from the Cookout down the street sits beside him so he can eat and put one last layer of wood stain on the kitchen cabinets tonight before passing out in bed. The Chateau will be quiet since JJ left earlier in the afternoon for an overnight stay on the mainland. He picked up a big job tomorrow with Greg’s crew that he refused to pass up on. 

As John B pulls up to the house, he’s surprised to see Sarah’s Volvo. While he always loves spending time with his girlfriend, he was not expecting to see her after her tennis match ended. She isn’t sitting in her car, waiting, so she must be inside somewhere. 

He grabs the takeout and his backpack before climbing out of the Twinkie. He walks up the steps, pulls open the screen door to the porch, and looks inside the mailbox. 

“Sarah?” He calls out while flipping through the junk mail. When he finds a bubble mailer with his name on it, he smiles. It’s what he was hoping would be delivered today, so he quickly unzips his backpack and shoves it inside before continuing the search for his girlfriend. 

“Sar-” John B cuts himself off when he turns the corner and sees her sitting in the hammock that gently swings in the early-evening breeze. Dark blonde hair hangs off the top edge of the navy and white striped fabric before it turns and a pair of brown eyes peek over the hammock at him. 

_I have tomorrow off. I can do the cabinets then._

“Hey, I didn't know you were coming back over. Are you spending the night?” He asks as he descends the back stairs with his dinner. He leans over to kiss her with a soft “I missed you,” and circles around the hammock, kicking off his flip-flops and lifting her legs so they are off the ground. 

Sarah shifts so she sits higher on the fabric. “If it's okay with you. I left my stuff by the back door. I wasn't sure when you'd be done with work but I needed some time to think.” 

He hands her his dinner and flops onto the hammock while facing her. “Sarah,” he starts with a quiet laugh. “I asked you to move in with me. I always want you here. You never have to ask if that's okay.” 

The girl gives him an appreciative look before passing the bag back to him. “I know… It's just, this is still your’s and JJ’s space and I don't want to show up here like a clingy girlfriend, even if the invitation is always open. I haven't even moved in yet.” 

“But you will soon.” He points a fry at her and winks, making her giggle. 

The couple falls into a comfortable silence and watches the sun sink into the horizon for several minutes. Crickets begin to chirp around them as John B finishes his dinner, crumbles up the wrapper, and shoves the trash into his backpack. 

His eyes drift toward the tanktop-and-tennis-skirt-wearing girl lounging opposite him. The happy but tired expression that greeted him disappeared and is now replaced by unease. She winces as she rolls her right shoulder back and forth in an effort to relieve an ache caused by several hours of tennis. After a minute, he hears a soft pop and a heavy sigh escape her, but her expression does not change. Her features are golden from the setting sun but John B sees and feels the tension radiating off her body. 

“Hey.” He gently nudges her knee with his bare foot. Brown eyes turn to meet his. 

“You're doing that thing with your eyebrows and jaw when you're overthinking something. What's up? Is this about your conversation with Ward?” 

Sarah rolls onto her back and presses her hands to her face, audibly groaning. 

“You mean the lack thereof?” Her voice is muffled by the hands that cover her mouth.

She drops them to her lap and sighs. “Yes and no. It's mostly about my mom.” 

John B raises an eyebrow and waits for her to elaborate. 

“I wasn't able to talk to Ward today. He scheduled a last-minute lunch meeting with the mayor a few minutes before I showed up. I had maybe seven minutes max with him, and three and a half of those were spent picking a tie out for him and attaching cufflinks to his jacket. First Topper and Kelce interrupt me at the club, now the mayor has to meet him to discuss contracts over lunch. I feel like I'm never going to get a chance to tell him the right way.” She scoffs. “You wanna know what the worst part about my little visit to his office this afternoon was?” 

_I’m a little scared to find out,_ John B thinks, but Sarah presses on. 

“He said he’d love to get lunch with me and that I should check with his receptionist to see when he’s free so he can ‘block off time’ in his calendar like I’m some fucking client. I'm his daughter! I shouldn't have to schedule a fucking appointment with his receptionist just to talk to him about this!” 

Sarah huffs as her gaze returns to the marsh. She roughly pulls the elastic out of her ponytail and runs her fingers through her hair, quietly fuming. 

The leader of the Pogues sits up cautiously. “Wait- you mentioned your mom. What does she have to do with your conversation with Ward?” He shakes the ice around in his drink before taking a long sip. 

She tears her eyes away from the water to meet his and bites her lip. “I finally read her letter about moving out- the one I mentioned finding the same time I gave you the one she wrote for you. That’s why I came back here: I needed someplace to read it after my match and eating dinner. Now that I’ve read it, I'm even more nervous to talk to Ward.” 

He sets the drink down beneath the hammock. “What did it say?”

Sarah's brown eyes answer him before she finally speaks up- a mixture of uneasiness, sadness, and confusion stare back at him. 

She takes a deep breath. “Mom basically warned me that if I move in with a guy before I get married or even engaged, Ward’s gonna be pissed. She doesn't have an issue with the idea, ‘as long as I know I'm making the right choice and I’m with the right person.’ I mean, you've seen and experienced some of Ward’s short fuse so you know exactly what I'm talking about, but part of me wants her to be wrong about something for once.” 

John B crosses his arms over his chest and thinks. The situation isn't exactly ideal, but Ward’s opinion matters to Sarah and it may ultimately be the deciding factor on if and when she moves into the Chateau.

He opens his mouth to respond when she cuts him off. 

“And I know what you're about to say.” She states matter-of-factly. “The first thing you're gonna say is that I’m in the driver's seat and in control here. The second is that my family is more important than you are- which isn't true and you know that. You're just as important to me as Wheezie and Dad are- and if I'm not ready to move out of Tannyhill then I don't have to.” 

He cracks a smile, and Sarah briefly returns it despite her mild frustration with her father and herself. She knows him well enough to predict what he would tell her, but she missed one thing. 

“C’mere.” John B shifts so his feet are planted on the ground and reaches over to wrap a hand around her calf. He gently tugs her forward before returning to his previous position, bringing her with him so she lays beside him.

“You're not wrong, Val,” he says, stretching out on the hammock. “But you're not completely right either.” 

Sarah raises an eyebrow but settles against him, one ear pressed to his chest while a hand starts playing with a loose thread on his loud grapefruit printed button-up shirt. His hand begins to rub her right shoulder, alleviating some of the soreness she knows will be present in a few hours. 

Physical touch is one of their shared love languages, yet she finds herself falling even more in love with him every time he picks up on her body language and immediately knows how to respond. Whether it’s reading the sheer boredom in her eyes during a Cameron family dinner, the discomfort in her jaw around the less-than-charming frat bros at her school, or the devious smirk on her lips when she comes up with a prank to pull on their friends, his ability to know how she’s feeling and quickly come to her aid never fails to surprise her. The only thing she did was roll her shoulder once or twice and he knows she’s sore from repeatedly swinging the tennis racket for almost six hours. 

A deep sigh escapes her when John B finds a particularly sore spot and digs his thumb into the surrounding muscles. Her cheeks quickly flush red in embarrassment and he grins. 

“Do you need me to tape your shoulder up tonight?” He murmurs into the top of her head. 

“Ugh, I love you. Yes please,” Sarah answers gratefully. 

A few quiet moments pass before she lifts her head and rests her chin on his chest. “What did you mean when you said I'm not completely right?”

He chuckles. The dirty blonde in his arms always needs answers and she will nag until she is satisfied with the response. 

“You got the first thing right- you’ve always been in control and you always will be. The second part is where you're a little off.” John B closes his eyes and considers his next words carefully. “You and the Pogues are my family, but I think of Wheezie as the bratty little sister I never had. Hell, I think of Ward as kind of a pseudo-father figure, even if I didn't want him to be my guardian anymore when I asked to be emancipated. They’re important to you which makes them important to me.” 

He opens his eyes to gaze down at her while running a hand through her dark blonde locks. “I know you’ve said Ward’s acted a little off since Rafe first overdosed and we found the gold, so if your mom’s letter has you worried about his reaction, then don’t push it. You’ll always have a place here and I’ll always call it our room, even if you aren’t here every night.”

Sarah feels her heart is about to burst out of her chest. 

_First Dee, now you? Everyone’s lifting me up when I’m down today._

She rests a hand on his cheek and scoots up to his eye level, brown eyes happy again. “You’re the second person today who’s said something I didn’t know I needed to hear until I heard it,” she says quietly before pressing her lips against his. 

John B chuckles and snakes his arms around her waist, pulling her closer while returning the kiss. “That’s what happens when you know your partner as well as I know you, Val,” he murmurs against her lips. He tries moving toward the center of the hammock and haul her over his body, but the sudden change in weight distribution throws the hammock off-kilter and they break apart. 

His arm flies out toward the ground to steady them before they tumble out of the hammock while Sarah pushes off John B’s chest. Unfortunately, she finds herself in an awkward position that has her sore shoulder pressing into his side. She rolls onto her other side and groans. 

“Are you okay?” Her boyfriend asks once he finally steadies the hammock enough that it stops swinging. 

“Yeah, that’s it. No more hammock today, Vlad. I need a shower, my shoulder covered in KT tape and some ice before we do anything else, which includes whatever that was about to turn into,” Sarah declares. “Fuck, why did I think playing an extra two hours was a good idea?” She lays on her back, holds her arm out to rotate the shoulder, and grimaces. 

John B takes that as his cue to stand up. “Alright Val, let me get you taped up so you’re ready for tomorrow’s mission and we can watch a movie or whatever.” He holds his hand out to help pull her to her feet. 

“Sorry you nearly fell off the hammock when I wanted to make out, Vlad,” she apologizes half-heartedly once she’s back on her feet. The smirk across her face gives her away, and the Pogue leader shakes his head laughing. 

He turns to pick up the camo backpack from the ground and throws an arm around her waist. “Sure you are, Val. I’m sure you are.” 

He guides her toward the back porch of the fish shack. “I’m pretty sure we can pick up where we left off later on the mattress in our room,” he says suggestively. 

“There won’t be anything picked up ‘til after you shower and put KT tape on me, Vlad. You smell like the marina,” she teases. 

“Hey! It’s not like you smell much better, Val.”

Sarah turns around on the steps so quickly that she startles him, and his hands automatically reach for her waist to steady her. Despite the half-hearted glare directed at him, he smiles smugly at her. “You’re lucky I love you as much as I do,” she tells him as she picks up a canvas bag with her overnight items from the top step. 

When both of them are inside the screened-in porch, he sweeps her into his arms and kisses her soundly. “I am the luckiest guy in the world because you love me,” he murmurs against her lips. “And I love you just as much, if not more.” 

_And you’ll always be my girl._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're not on Tumblr but want to talk about the chapter, please drop some notes in my ask! If you're a frequent anon, pick an emoji so I know who's leaving me the comments. They always make me smile! :) 
> 
> A playlist for the house won't fall (when the bones are good) is coming after chapter 11 is posted along with a new fic with bonus scenes that didn't make it into this one. 
> 
> Follow my Tumblr, alexandracheers.tumblr.com, for the occasional sneak peek (y'all got two of them from chapter 10 because I was feeling super generous) and other ramblings about this fic. Don't forget to leave a kudos and a comment before leaving!


	11. look at us (sign the check and the place is ours)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kie and her friends hike to see Christ the Redeemer in Rio, JJ tries to convince his friends of something, and shiplap happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHH! I’m so excited to share this chapter with y’all! I wrote 95% of it the week after publishing chapter 10 because I was on a roll, and I sat on it a few extra days before I posting so it felt a bit like a Christmas present for y’all (if you celebrate)!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who left guesses in my ask for what was in John B’s package! I loved reading your guesses- some of them were so heartfelt and beautiful, especially the ones related to the letters from Sarah’s mom.
> 
> I published a collection of bonus content called “the house that built me” a few days ago and I uploaded a cute little Christmas drabble. There’s another one that will be uploaded in conjunction with this chapter. Read that after you finish reading this chapter!
> 
> Finally, this will be the last chapter I post of 2020. I’m hoping to write a lot over my break so I have stuff to post in 2021 when I’m busy student teaching. Thank you for reading my story. I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to read and interact with it. Shoutout to my muse and reader/editor for helping me throughout the creative process. You two are the best. ❤️
> 
> Okay, no more babbling from me. Enjoy chapter 11. :)

_“All it’d take is 24 hours, sign the check and the place is ours. It’s a little soon but I wanna come home to you.”_

_\- "24 Hours" by Shawn Mendes_

“I am so out of shape,” Kie huffs good-naturedly as she follows Jayla up the winding dirty trail. Karly and Mo take up the rear of their mini hiking group. She’s winded but thrilled to be near the top of Corcovado, the mountain where _Christ the Redeemer_ sits at the peak. 

“Granola bar?” Jayla digs a snack out of the side pocket of her backpack and offers it to her. 

The traveling Pogue takes it. “Thank goodness you're the mom friend of this group, Jay.” 

The group of traveling friends arrived in Rio de Janeiro three days ago. They took a few days to get acclimated to the city and the public transportation system before planning out their stops as tourists. Mo suggested going to Corcovado mountain and hiking to the top to see the statue. 

“It’s way more scenic and less expensive than if we took one of those vans or the train. I read somewhere that there are waterfalls we can stop at. It might be kind of steep and a little humid, but it could be a lot of fun since most people take other transportation to get to the statue,” he explained. “It should take an hour and a half to two hours to reach the top.” 

After doing her own quick research, Kie quickly agreed and dug out the sturdy walking boots she packed while she was at home. The pictures on Google Maps and the travel blog Instagram accounts were picturesque and she wanted to see the beauty herself. 

The group started their hike early in the day at Parque Lage, a park at the base of the mountain with an art school and cafe that operates out of an old mansion. All the travel blogs Mo and Karly found recommended starting the walk up the mountain early to beat the heat and crowds. After receiving a map and some instructions in Portuguese that Kie understood fragments of from a park ranger, the four made their way up the marked trail toward the top. 

The small waterfalls and lush rainforest greenery are breathtaking. As the photography-enthusiast of the group, Jayla frequently stops to capture the landscape on her DSLR and film cameras. Since they arrived at the trail early, they don’t run into other hikers returning from the top. 

In the distance, they see and hear the train that carries tourists running from the base of Corcovado to the station just below the statue. 

“Hey Kie, what did your friend JJ call to talk to you about yesterday?” Karly questions from behind her. 

She quietly snorts back a laugh and wipes the sweat from her forehead.

JJ did call Facetime her yesterday out of nowhere because he had something to share that couldn’t wait another day. He also wanted to chew her out for the “what’s that on your hand” comment from a few days earlier. She still blames the lack of sufficient caffeine in her system for the comment. 

_It's been a few weeks since she “shook” on the John B and Sarah engagement bet with him and Pope. Apparently Pope’s girlfriend (they haven’t exactly put a label on it. He likes her, she likes him, whatever), Natalie, wants in on the bet now after meeting the couple. The smartest Pogue of the original four was in Chesapeake for the day to visit her and introduced her to the girl during the impromptu group call._

_After introductions and quick catch ups were made, JJ cut to the chase._

_“John B’s gonna give Sarah a house key here really soon. He bought her this little wood house keychain from some website called Easty-”_

_“It’s Etsy, you dumbass,” Kie corrected._

_JJ scowled at the camera. “Do you think I give a shit what the site is called? I don’t, so lemme finish.”_

_Kie, Pope, and Natalie raise their eyes at the fresh outburst from the blond but say nothing._

_“Anyway, he bought her this house keychain for Sarah’s key to the Chateau and bought one for himself because he’s into cutesy things like that now. He nearly bought one for me before I told him that as the owner of an F-150, I was not going to put a house keychain with a heart cutout on my keys to match him and Sarah. I’m gonna be the third-wheel in my house once she moves in. There’s no fuckin’ way I’m gonna match them like I’m their kid and we’re some family unit who does matching pj’s on Christmas,” he tells the group._

The traveling Pogue takes a bite of the granola bar and clears her throat. “I've told y’all about my two friends, John B and Sarah, right? And how they’re renovating his house so she can move in with him and JJ?”

Jayla, Karly, and Mo nod while taking a drink from their stainless steel water bottles. 

“Well JJ, Pope and I have a bet going on John B and Sarah. Pope and I think John B’s gonna propose to her by the end of the summer, before she returns to school. Pope’s ‘girlfriend’,” she uses air quotes, “is in on it too after meeting them. But JJ thinks it’ll happen after she graduates. Either way, we know she’s gonna end up with a ring on her finger from him, which I know for certain, she wants.” 

Mo raises his eyebrows beneath the brim of his baseball cap. “How much money are you puttin’ on it?” 

“Fifty bucks.” Her answer is brief for one reason: _We could put way more money on it but I’m not gonna tell you guys that._

The group resumes their walk up the trail. The foliage of the rainforest is thinning out, which means they are nearing the end of the path. 

“Well what did JJ have to say? Any indication of a ring?” Jayla sounds giddy at the possibility of her two best friends getting engaged, despite never meeting them. 

Kie shakes her head. “JJ said John B is going to give Sarah her house key with a little wooden house keychain he bought attached to it pretty soon but nothing about a ring. He seems to think that the house key is a big enough deal and John B’s too much of a himbo to buy an engagement ring at the same time. I don’t know though… He surprised me when he told us he bought the house from his uncle. And he did look suspiciously pale when I asked Sarah what was on her hand while she was staining some cabinet doors while I Facetimed them last week. He might have another trick up his sleeve.” 

Even as she says that, she feels a little unsure of herself. She’s been away from the Outer Banks for a little over six months. It’s hard to get a read on people over a video call, even if you’ve been friends for as long as she and the Pogues have. Pogues don’t keep secrets from other Pogues. _He would definitely tell us if he was going to do something, right? He has to._

-

Fifteen minutes later, the group stands in line with a crowd of other tourists to pay their way in to see the _Christ the Redeemer_ statue up close. They are nearly on the brink of tourist season which means it will cost more Brazilian Real to get in, and because they didn’t buy their tickets ahead of time, they are stuck paying in cash to see the attraction. 

Kie and her friends don't mind the price hike in admission because they are only a couple hundred feet away from the statue and the view is supposed to be spectacular. They still have about 200 steps to climb once they pass through the ticket booth before they reach the base. 

“So I was doing some research on the statue,” Mo begins to say when Kie, Karly, and Jayla groan. The young man looks up at his friends and scowls. He’s known as the history buff among their little group and while his facts are usually interesting, he can spew them out at the worst times. 

“Hey, I thought you guys might be interested in learning some facts about it without having to translate the brochure from Portuguese into English, but if you want to do that, be my guest.”

Kie nudges him in the arm as they move forward in the line. “We love your facts, Mo, just don't tell us everything you learned all at once, okay?”

“Yeah,” Karly echos. “Your facts are usually pretty great but I want to actually see the statue up close before you start talking our ears off.”

They reach the front of the line and present the ticket handler with the Real who then let's them through the turnstyle. With their tickets in hand, they each call out “Obrigado” or “Obrigada” (thank you) and follow the other visitors up the staircase. 

She wishes she paced herself better on the assent but the view at the top is spectacular. 

“Oh wow,” she breathes as she looks up at the statue made of concrete and triangular soapstone in awe. She’s by no means a religious person but she can and will appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship that went into building a monument of this size. 

“Wow is right, Kie,” Jayla comments beside her. “The photos I've seen online are beautiful but nothing can beat the real thing.” 

She follows Karly and Mo along the outskirts of the base and takes in the beauty of the statue and the panoramic view of the port city while Jayla swaps the 50mm lens out for a wide angle lens on her DSLR.

 _Mom would probably love this_ , she thinks. She pulls out her phone from her day pack and snaps a few photos of the statue and port view that she immediately sends to her parents, grandma, and the Pogues. 

_**The views from Cristo Redentor in Rio are spectacular.** _

“Hey Karls, can you take a picture of me real quick?” 

Her travel companion nods and crouches to the ground to get the best angle while snapping the photos on her phone. As she slides through each one, she smiles. The hike to the top was exhausting but the reward of the view was worth it. 

Kie pauses. Texting photos of her excursions to her family and friends was meant to update them on her whereabouts while limiting contact. The trip to South America has been eye-opening and she loves Brazil, but now that her friends are home for the summer, she wonders if her internal travel meter is starting to run low and if it's time to go home. Mike and Anna have asked two or three times when she thinks she might be coming home during their calls, but she never provided an answer. 

_Maybe Rio is meant to be my last stop._

She pushes the thought aside to entertain it later. For now, she’s going to soak up everything that Rio has to offer before she eventually makes a decision on when to fly home.

\---

“Why are you kicking me out, man? It’s my day off,” JJ questions aloud as John B nudges him out the front door and toward his truck. 

The homeowner rolls his eyes. “I told you, I don’t need you barging in while Sarah and I are working on our room today. Go hang out with Pope or surf or do literally anything else that doesn’t require you to be here, okay?” 

He’s explained the plan to JJ at least three times now and he’s growing more aggravated the longer his best friend hangs around the Chateau when Sarah is on her way over. 

“Jeez, John B. You want some alone time with your girl, I got it,” he backs away from him with his hands up innocently but his eyes and saucy smirk suggest something else. “Bow chicka wow wow!” He turns the corner of the screened in porch and grabs his surfboard and a pair of swim shorts from the deck chair. 

The Pogue leader closes his eyes and groans. He knows exactly what his friend is implying but that’s the last thing on his mind right now. “I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him,” he mumbles under his breath. 

“Did you say somethin’, Vlad?” JJ calls out. 

“Can you please just leave and I’ll text you when you can come back later so Sarah and I have the place to ourselves?” He pleads. At this point, he’s desperate for JJ to disappear. He and Sarah have a lot planned to do in their room today and the blond hanging around is asking for problems to arise. 

“Alright, alright, I’m going.” JJ grabs his backpack and descends the stairs toward his truck, board and gear in arm. After tossing the surfing gear into the truck bed, he turns and points at John B as he circles around to the driver’s side. “Hey, you better get rid of that stick up your ass before Val gets here or she’ll whoop your ass into next year.” He smacks his hands together and salutes him. “See ya, Vlad!” 

Once the blue pickup truck backs out of the parking spot and disappears from his view, the tension in his shoulder drops. A glance at his phone tells him Sarah’s five minutes away. 

The couple has been planning for this day for at least a week now. Sarah timed the delivery of their mattress in a box and bed frame to coincide with their days off from work almost perfectly- FedEx is expected to deliver the mattress this afternoon and the bed frame arrived at the Chateau yesterday. 

Installing shiplap can take anywhere from 2-4 hours and John B wanted to get as much of the prep work done ahead of time while Sarah ran tennis lessons at the club. Pope helped him sand down, measure and cut the pine panels while JJ painted the walls of the bedroom. Heyward stopped by the Chateau in the middle of the afternoon to check on the trio’s progress before picking up a paint brush and touching up a few spots on the walls. The three hours of work they did was all in preparation for him and Sarah to stain, seal and put up on their bedroom walls today. 

Getting JJ out of the house wasn’t necessary, but their to-do list is packed and if they want to accomplish all the items on it like stain and install the shiplap, assemble the bed frame, and put the side tables together, they need as few distractions as possible. On top of that, John B not-so-selfishly wants to spend some quality time with Sarah while they put their space together. His room is turning into their room and he wants to do it all with her and no one else. 

He starts running through a mental list of supplies- the wood conditioner, stain, polyurethane sealant, brushes, rags, adhesive, nickels… His eyes scan the messy living room to locate the items. When the bedroom turned into a work zone two days ago, the living room became his temporary sleeping area. For the last two nights, he’s slept on the couch between the boxed-up bed frame, nightstands, and his dresser. Big John’s office was supposed to be the storage room for their deliveries but he, JJ, Pope, and Heyward were forced to move all the wood panels inside to avoid a rainstorm and he ran out of space. 

“Where the hell are we supposed to unbox a mattress?” He wonders aloud while picking up the three cans of wood stain that he left in the corner.

“We’ll figure that out when it gets here this afternoon,” Sarah’s voice pipes up optimistically from behind him. 

John B turns around and grins. His eyes land on the dirty blonde leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed over her chest. The smile on her face seems to grow the closer he gets to her. 

“Hey Val,” he greets with a quick kiss to her lips while his hand snakes around her waist. They naturally come together like the gravitational pull of the sun and moon guiding the waves and tides to the shoreline. 

“Hi Vlad. I'm really excited about today.” Sarah loops her arms around his neck and starts mindlessly playing with the curly ends of his hair.

“Me too. I was just about to grab the stain and other stuff we need for today. I figured we’d lay the spare tarp out on the porch and stain the panels there so they can dry for however long they need without the fumes killing us.” 

She nods. “Works for me. I don’t think Joanna Gaines gets her hands as dirty as I will when they do renos but whatever. I’m happy that I get to do this with you since we’ve been so busy lately.” She untangles her fingers from the hair at the nape of his neck and smiles brightly. “C’mon, we’ve got work to do and I have club gossip from the tennis moms that I’m dying to tell someone.” 

\---

JJ followed John B’s suggestion and went to find Pope. As expected, he was at Heyward’s helping his dad organize deliveries for the day. 

“Heyward, can I steal Pope for the afternoon since I was kicked out of my house by John B and I'm bored?”

The older man rolled his eyes. “Kid, this isn't the Bachelor. If you want to help with deliveries so y’all can do whatever shit y’all want to do, by all means, put that truck to use and help.”

The electrician crosses his arms and smirks. “Now how would you know a Bachelor reference, sir?” 

Heyward glares at him before handing him a bundle of bags for deliveries. “I have nieces, kid. They post stuff on Facebook. Now make yourself useful and drive these deliveries over to the O’Hare’s, the Settle’s, and the Gelbach’s. Once you finish that, you and Pope can take a big order over to Mike and Anna at the Wreck and I'll let him go early.”

“Thanks, Dad. I'll let you know when I'm done with my deliveries and on my way back,” Pope says gratefully. He picks up the remaining deliveries and follows JJ out the back of the store to drive around Kildare and drop off their orders. 

Pope’s dad held up his end of the agreement and let him off work early to surf once they dropped off a large order at The Wreck for Kie’s parents. After stopping for lunch and grabbing his board and gear from Pope’s house, they drove to the beach and dropped their stuff in the sand before running out into the salty ocean water. 

They’ve caught a few waves but nothing extraordinary. Their wipeouts could barely be considered wipeouts given the current. Now they wait with the sun beating down on their backs as they patiently watch for the next swell of waves to surf on. 

“So how was Chesapeake?”

“It was nice. Nat showed me around her neighborhood and we had dinner with her parents.” 

The blond raises his eyebrows. “Jeez, Pope. Y’all haven't even put a label on whatever you two have but you went to her house for dinner?”

“We didn't have dinner at her house. We went to a restaurant. And I've met them before. Nat and I lived in the same dorm last year. It's not like it was a big deal. They know me, I know them.” Pope shrugs his shoulders without a second thought. 

JJ looks over his shoulder to check for a swell of water to ride and laughs. “I've never had a stable romantic relationship and even I know dinner with the parents can be a big deal, man.” 

The young man’s eyes widen. “Oh shit,” he mumbles as it dawns upon him. _We still haven’t put a label on it._

Pope is pulled out of his trance when JJ slaps ocean water in his direction. “Whatever. So JB kicked you out of his morning so he and Sarah could work on their room?” He feels a little embarrassed that JJ pointed out what dinner with Natalie’s parents likely meant and wants to turn the conversation away from his lack of awareness and toward the couple. 

“Yeah. It was really weird. I haven't seen him that worked up since we figured out the gold was under Mrs. Crain’s house. He had a real stick up his ass that I hope he got out before Sarah arrived. Otherwise she was gonna whip him into shape real fast.” He mimics a whipping motion with the sound effect. 

His friend smirks. “Sounds like Sarah, keepin’ our boy in line,” he jokes. They fall into a comfortable silence that is broken up by water lapping on their boards or the seagulls flying over their heads. 

“Hey captain, how’re you feeling about this one?” Pope tilts his head toward the rising wave that approaches them. 

JJ looks over his shoulder again and quickly assesses the size and shape of it. “Oh fuck yeah,” he calls out before laying stomach-down on the board. Pope immediately follows his friend's lead but goes to the right to make some space between them. “I'm feeling really good ‘bout this one. Let's go, man,” he cries as he starts paddling with the current. “See ya on the other side!”

The wave starts to crest and both boys leap to their feet, riding the rushing water towards the shore. They cut through the wave before eventually losing their balance and land in the ocean. 

Once they reach the shore, JJ shakes his hair out like a dog after a bath. “Dude, that was the first good wave of the day!” He claps his hand against Pope’s in celebration. “This is way better than sitting around the Chateau. There’s no way John B and Sarah are enjoying themselves putting up shiplap. He wishes he could be out here surfin’ with the boys.” 

\---

Conditioning and staining the pine wood panels only took the couple an hour. They bought the quick-drying stain so while they waited an hour for it to finish drying, they set to work putting together their nightstands. FedEx delivered the bed-in-a-box, which Sarah immediately wanted to open and try out. 

After a quick lunch break and more stories of beach club mom gossip, they returned outside to seal the panels in polyurethane and leave it to dry for another hour. 

Once John B decided the panels were ready to go up, they carried the newly-finished pieces into the bedroom and began working from the bottom up. They glued the panels to the wall with adhesive and over the course of an hour, they managed to get more than half of the wall covered in shiplap. 

“Hey, Sarah?”

“Hmm?” The blonde glances down from the step ladder as she slides nickels as spacers between each board. “Can you hand me the level?” 

The homeowner passes the tool to her and crosses his arms over his chest. 

“I have a question for you,” he says, looking up at her thoughtfully. 

The corners of her mouth quirk up into a smile but she doesn’t meet his eyes. “The last time you started a conversation like that, we were moving me out of the dorm and you asked me to move in.” She leans to the right to move two coin spacers further apart before resting the level on the edge of the newly-glued panel. 

His hand reaches up to spot her but Sarah playfully swats his hand away. “Yeah, and you agreed, and now we’re here putting shiplap up in our bedroom,” he jokes, wiping his palms off on his t-shirt.

John B feels his heart begin to race but he doesn’t know why. _Wheezie told me herself that she’d love it and it feels right to bring it up now._ He takes a deep breath and lifts his chin to gaze up at the love of his life, whose attention is on leveling the shiplap. 

“What do you think the next three to four years will look like for us?” 

Sarah’s body immediately goes rigid. The level slips from her hand and off the edge of the panel before it hits the floor. She doesn’t flinch at the heavy clunk the tool makes but the shock on her face is clear. 

“What did you say?” Her voice is soft but shaky as her brown eyes slowly meet his own. A swirl of surprise, fear, and sheer confusion stare back at him in place of the usual teasing glint. 

_Well that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting._

John B pushes the forgotten level out of the way with his foot and clears his throat. “When you think about the next three to four years, where do you see us?” 

Sarah feels her lungs stop working for a few seconds before letting out a nervous laugh. 

“W-why? Where is this coming from?” She stammers. _I can’t tell if you’re kidding or not and I really don’t want to get my hopes up for nothing._

She steps down from the top part of the step ladder and sits, trying to compose herself. Nails dig into her palms as her hands turn into fists that hold up her head. 

_Is he proposing? At 19? Or does he think we aren’t going to last and we should break up? Oh my God, I'm not ready for this._

“Because I have an idea of where I'd like for us to be at. I had a realization a few days ago but,” he cuts off when he sees the shock and slight fear in her eyes. “Hey, hey, hey.” John B crouches to her eye level. He gently prys her fingers out of the fists before lacing his fingers with her own. “Hey, it’s okay,” he reassures with a tight squeeze of her hand. “I promise I'm not asking what you think I'm about to ask you, Sarah. I know we're not ready for that yet. Just- hold on. I have two things for you. Wait here.” 

She gives him an uneasy smile but nods, silently promising that she won't let her fears take over and bolt, like the old Sarah Cameron would do. 

She isn't that girl anymore- the one who didn't let herself get close to boys because she was afraid of what they might think of her once she let her guard down. This version of Sarah is as real as it can get, and much of that internal transformation is because of the confidence John B instilled in her. He trusted her with his love and emotional baggage and she allowed him to knock down the walls around her and capture her heart. 

He jumps to his feet and runs out of the bedroom. His stride is heavy with nervous energy. 

Sarah looks down at her feet and replays his words in her head. She can’t get past the word ‘yet’. _Does that mean he thinks we’ll be ready in a couple years?_

A drawer slides open and closed from the living room a few seconds later, and he returns to the bedroom and crouches down in front of her on the floor. 

This reminds her of one hot afternoon three summers earlier in an abandoned church belltower. 

John B grabs one of her hands and squeezes it again, silently asking her to look at him.

“Sarah, do you trust me?”

The question forces her head up and she locks eyes with his warm ones. 

“Yes.” Despite the uneasy stammering that rattled her speech a few moments earlier, her voice doesn’t waver. If there is one thing she is absolutely certain of in this world, it’s that she trusts the boy- no, young man- in front of her with everything in her. 

He smiles and stands. “C’mon,” he tilts his head at the door and gently tugs her to her feet. 

Sarah lets her body take over as she follows her boyfriend through the Chateau and onto the back porch. John B leads her past a pile of forgotten supplies before sitting down on the ratty green couch and pulling her down to the cushion beside him. 

A squeeze to her hand pulls her to the present. 

“It’s kind of nuts that a treasure hunt brought us together,” he observes, leaning back against the flat cushion. His upper body looks more at ease now that they’re outside when compared to a minute earlier in their bedroom. 

She takes that as the signal to relax and tucks her legs under herself to face him more fully. “Are we taking a quick trip around memory lane, Vlad? What does the future have to do with the past?” It’s a rhetorical question that flies right over him. 

The next thing that leaves his mouth makes her heart stop for half a second: “The past has everything to do with our future.” 

Sarah doesn’t know how to respond to except to furrow her brow. 

John B mirrors her position on the couch and scoots closer to smooth out the crease between her brows. 

“I asked you about our future because when I think about mine, you’re the only thing I see. Yeah, JJ and Pope and Kie will be part of it too, but they have their own lives and plans separate from you and I.” 

He closes his eyes and takes a calming breath before his eyes open. The moment suddenly feels much more serious than a trip down memory lane. 

“Look, I'm not trying to make you nervous or scare you into running off by telling you this. I’m telling you because even though we’re only nineteen, I know you're it for me, Sarah Cameron. I can't imagine my life without you in it, and honestly, the idea of you not being part of it scares the shit out of me. You changed everything when you joined that treasure hunt three years ago. JJ and I- we had this really shitty plan where once we found the gold, we’d run away to Yucatán but then you walked in. I never planned on falling in love with you but dammit, that was the best thing that ever happened to me.” 

Sarah giggles softly and blushes, her heart swelling from his confession. She glances at the floor and tucks a loose hair behind her ear before looking up. “If I remember correctly, you flipped over a chain on a bike while escaping DCS and I happened to be nearby.” 

John B glances down at her right hand he holds and runs his thumb over her knuckles. 

“Yeah, that's exactly what happened,” he chuckles. “That day turned out to be one of the best days of my life and now three years later, we’re making that bedroom our room. I cannot wait for the day you finally move in and call this place you helped fix up home.” His left hand starts patting down his short pockets in search of something. Recognition crosses over his face and he reaches inside. 

As he digs into the pocket, the dirty blonde feels her heart rate spike.

_In every rom com, this is the part where the guy gets on one knee and pulls out a ring._

He finally pulls out a pair of silver keys with a wooden keychain attached and momentarily holds them up. He releases her right hand and sets the keys in her palm. “So it feels right that you get your own house key now since this is your place too.” 

Sarah feels a wide smile cover her face that reaches her brown eyes despite her inner surprise of receiving the key and keychain. At closer glance, the keychain is a small house with a heart cut out. She didn't notice John B pull out his own set of keys until he dangled them in front of her face. On his own set of keys is an identical wooden house. 

She’s relieved but also a little disappointed that it isn’t an engagement ring. From the direction of the conversation, she thought John B would bring up their relationship and taking it to another level. Either way, she’s very surprised and excited to have her own copy of the key to the Chateau. 

“Home is where the heart is,” she whispers, looking up to see happiness beaming from her boyfriend’s face. 

John B pockets his keys and leans back, laughing quietly. “Yeah, it is. I would've gotten one for JJ too, but it was too cheesy for him and it might ruin his street cred as a truck driver. His words, not mine,” he jokes. “I don't care much about my street cred as long as I've got you and I don't give a shit how sappy that sounds.” 

The dark blonde leans forward to catch her lips with his. “I love it. Thank you, John B,” she says against his mouth. Her nose bumps against his as their foreheads touch and he kisses her again, this time for a few seconds longer. 

The leader of the Pogues looks up at her with love and adoration in his eyes before they turn serious. 

“Look, I know moving in together is a big deal and is a pretty big step in most relationships, but that hasn't stopped me from thinking about our future. We have all the time in the world right now, but I have something else for you.” 

He reaches into his other pocket and pulls out a small cardboard jewelry box that he places into her hands. 

Glancing between John B and the box resting in her hand, she gives him a questioning look. _It's not small enough to be a ring box,_ she thinks. _Is it a bracelet?_

He nods, silently encouraging her to open it, so she lifts the lid and her eyes fall upon the biggest surprise of her life so far: a dainty rose gold ring. 

_So it is a ring._

It isn't flashy or attention-grabbing. It’s simple, minimalistic, with a singular knot at the center of the band. 

Sarah feels her breath catch in her throat and she looks up. “Wh-wh?” She stammers, unable to come up with anything coherent to say. The Chateau keys with the house keychain was one thing. A ring? That promises something much bigger but she doesn't understand what he’s trying to ask. 

He takes the cardboard box from her and lifts the band between his fingers. Even with the jewelry in his immediate sightline, he gazes at her with hope. 

“This isn't an engagement ring, but this is a promise: one day, when we’re ready- when you're ready- and you've graduated college, I promise I will get down on one knee, with a much better ring, and ask you a question that I hope you say yes to. Until then, this is how I intend to show you that you're it for me and that I want to marry you someday.” 

_There was the word she was waiting for: marriage._

Air fills her lungs again as her surprise melts away. She isn't scared by the weight or promise of John B’s statement. She feels remarkably sure. All the pieces she didn't know were laying out in front of her are suddenly coming together. 

“What does the knot mean?” She asks as she feels her heart race in her chest. Her right ring finger itches to slide the jewelry on, but she restrains herself. She wants John B to put it for her.

John B looks down at the ring in his hand before he starts explaining the reasoning behind the purchase. “I picked it for a few reasons. One, I wanted it to symbolize the promise I've made to you and to myself. Two, a diamond would definitely raise some questions and I don't need Ward to come storming through the door with a gun screaming about why you're wearing a diamond ring on your finger at 19. It's lowkey but we’ll know what it really means without telling anyone else.” They chuckle but realize that Ward Cameron would do exactly that. 

“And three, I want this to be a reminder of what our life and future could look like in a few years. Our lives got tangled up together three summers ago on a treasure hunt, and I don't want to ever undo that knot. Oh, and it’s Wheezie approved. Remember that day you got your car inspected and asked me to pick her up from school? I had it picked out but I wanted to make sure it was something you’d like since I know nothing about jewelry and I couldn’t risk asking Kie without her telling you.”

A smile stretches across Sarah’s lips as she listens to his ramble. She sets the keys on the table behind her and, unable to hold back any longer, slides across the couch to straddle John B’s lap and wraps her arms around his neck to bring his face closer. She feels beautiful, loved, cherished, and confident just from the way he’s looking at her. His hand finds its place along her waist as she processes his unspoken message: he wants a future with her. He wants to marry her one day. 

Her boyfriend’s relationship with her sister is one of the many things she loves about him. The fact that he asked Wheezie for her opinion on this tangible promise makes her heart nearly burst out of her chest.

“I love you, Sarah. That's never going to change. I wouldn't be at this point in my life if you weren't part of it, and I've never been so sure about wanting something for my future than I am now with you,” John B confesses, his brown eyes staring up at her while holding the rose gold band between them. 

She leans forward to pepper his face with kisses. “You don't give yourself enough credit sometimes. You would have found the gold without me. Now shut up and kiss me, you doofus.” She surges forward and her lips meet his, pouring all her love for the boy who opened his heart and his home to her in a whirlwind summer romance that turned into something more. Something beautiful and heart-racing and all-consuming- and permanent. 

After a heated battle for dominance between lips and teeth, John B pulls away, breathless. He leans his forehead against hers and takes a steadying breath as his left hand slips under her t-shirt (that’s actually his) and squeezes her waist. 

“Wait, wait, hold on. I have this whole rest of the speech planned out and I need to get it off my chest,” he admits. He finally opens his eyes, which are darker than they were a few minutes earlier. Sarah’s eyes are darker too, but joy radiates from her beaming smile. 

“It's not just about the gold- but you did play a big role in finding that. That afternoon, I was about to be shipped off to the mainland and into foster care and I probably would have never seen you and the Pogues or this place again. But you came in, picked me up and got me out of there before DCS could, and I had one of the best days of my life running around Chapel Hill. Then Topper pushed me off the Hawk’s Nest and your dad became my guardian a couple days later, and that's around the time I knew I never wanted to let you go. But that's not my point- you saved me in more ways than you think, and you helped me become a much better version of myself and all I want now is to imagine our lives together completely in a few years. So Sarah Elizabeth Cameron, Val, Valerie: while this isn't a marriage proposal, this ring is a promise: to love you for as long as you’ll let me, to stand beside and support you in everything you do, to protect you when you need me to, and to do life forever with you when we’re ready.” 

He pauses before letting out a nervous laugh. “I don't know if I'm supposed to actually ask you something even though I have a ring.” 

Sarah shakes her head and softly laughs, her eyes shining with unshed tears and pure happiness. She rests her forehead against his as her right hand rests above his heart and her left hand cradles his cheek. Her thumb brushes back and forth under his eye to soothe his racing heart.

“I love you,” she whispers. “I love you, I love this ring, I love this life we’re making together. It's everything I could ever dream of and I'm so happy I get to do it all with you. So put a ring on it, John B, because I really want to do life with you too.” She holds her right hand out for him to slide the jewelry on her finger. 

Both of their hands shake from the excitement and meaning that this $75 piece of jewelry holds. As soon as the band is on her right ring finger, Sarah pushes John B onto his back and leans over him, her blonde hair making a curtain for them from the rest of the world. 

“I love you so much,” she says again between kisses. The urgency from before is gone and is replaced by something softer, intimate, permanent. “You're mine and only mine for the rest of our lives, got it, Vlad?”

The curly haired Pogue underneath her grins and pulls her even closer. “Sounds like a perfect plan to me, Val.”

It does sound like the perfect plan. The knotted rose gold ring around her finger holds the promise of their future, and the house key brings her just a little bit closer to that reality. 

\---

Sarah and John B feel high on life and love for the rest of the afternoon. The only thing that briefly interrupted their wave of happiness was a text from Ward telling her to come home for dinner at 6:15 and to bring John B. 

His message spurred them off the outdoor couch and back inside to finish their project. In an hour and a half, they put the remaining shiplap on the wall and moved the bed frame and mattress into the bedroom. While Sarah packed up the excess materials and laid a new mattress pad on the inflating hybrid mattress, John B hopped in the shower to clean up. 

Dinner at the Cameron’s is never a casual affair, no matter what they say. If John B showed up with wood stain and polyurethane on his t-shirt and hands, Rose would, no doubt, spend the entire dinner glaring at him over a glass of merlot. He forced himself to shave, which Sarah immediately noticed as he exited the bathroom while buttoning up one of his many printed button up shirts. 

“You shaved!” 

“Yeah, well you know Rose is gonna make some comment about ‘looking like a dirty Pogue’ while dating you and I’d rather not give her any more material to silently insult me with.” 

Sarah sidles up to him and smooths out the front of his shirt. “Well you know she’s gonna silently insult me too, but at least we can suffer through it together.” 

They do end up suffering with Wheezie under Rose’s judgemental gaze throughout the meal, except instead of merlot, a pinot noir from California fills her glass. 

Near the end of dinner, Ward clears his throat to get everyone’s attention. “I have some news. I spoke with the program director at the rehab center Rafe is at this afternoon and pending a successful psych evaluation and thorough meeting with his therapist, he believes that Rafe is on the brink of finishing treatment and he’ll be ready to come home.” His eyes glance over each person to gauge their reaction. 

John B shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “Should I go? I feel like this is something I shouldn’t be-” 

“Nonsense, John B! You’re practically family at this point so you should get to be here for this news too,” the older man says, clapping a hand on his shoulder. 

Sarah exchanges a weird look with her boyfriend and reaches under the table to grab his hand, silently telling him to stay seated. The events from this afternoon paired with the promise ring on her right hand confirms Ward’s comment of him practically being family, but she’s very unsure how to react to her dad’s news. 

Rose finally speaks up after taking a long sip of wine. “That’s great news, honey. When is he expected to be back so I can let the housekeeper know to dust his room.” 

Sarah and John B see right through her stepmother’s facade but Ward gives it no second thought. 

“His evaluation will be Thursday morning and if it all goes well, I’ll take the day off from work and drive to the mainland to bring him home,” he shares before taking a sip of bourbon whiskey from the rocks glass at his seat. 

The dirty blonde finally speaks up. “That’s great news. I’m glad he’s healthier now.” She’s not trying to sound sarcastic. She is happy that Rafe is healthier mentally now than when he was just before relapsing three months ago. However, she’s frustrated that Rafe’s news swept any built-up confidence to talk to Ward later this evening about moving out of Tannyhill out from under her feet. 

John B senses her inner frustration and squeezes her hand to silently reassure her. 

_Third time’s the charm isn’t gonna work. Maybe the fourth time will?_

She looks down at the rose gold knot around her finger before lifting her chin and smiling softly at her boyfriend. 

_The time to tell Dad will come. I know what to look forward to now and I’m not going to let Dad get in the way of it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL?!!!!! WHAT DID YA THINK?!!!! Aren’t these two love birds so precious? I love them so much.
> 
> Chapter was inspired by "24 Hours" by Shawn Mendes, "House Key" by Scott Helman, and "Trying on Rings" by Maddie & Tae.
> 
> Here’s the Etsy listing for the ring: https://etsy.me/3cVlIzW  
> Here’s the Etsy listing for the keychain: https://etsy.me/33shT04
> 
> Here’s the Spotify playlist with songs from and inspired by the fic: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7arkISg1Os6UV3w3YRrkg2?si=mV9h-VZjQmaS3gB9TC1rRQ  
> Here’s the LastFM version of the playlist: https://www.last.fm/user/Sunnydays581/playlists/11936344
> 
> Don’t forget to go read chapter 2 of “the house that built me” for some more context on the events from this chapter and previous chapters!
> 
> Come scream at me in my Tumblr ask about Jarah B cuteness. alexandracheers.tumblr.com
> 
> Have a safe and healthy holiday season, friends.


	12. changing (I'm not done)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John B gets a surprise visitor, Kie thinks about future travel plans, Sarah and Wheezie have a heart-to-heart, and someone returns to the Outer Banks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! I said I wanted to wait a little bit before posting the chapters I wrote over my break, but I had a great day student teaching today, so y'all benefit! Thank you for all the love on chapter 11 and the bonus content. It made me so happy to read the reactions left in my ask from friendly anons on Tumblr! 
> 
> I made a playlist for the fic which gets updated with a few new songs whenever I post a new chapter. It's available on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7arkISg1Os6UV3w3YRrkg2?si=rGTpJExJT1uvH0EOPxqxrw 
> 
> This chapter is inspired by "Changing" by John Mayer and "The World Ain't Yours and Mine" by Dustin Lynch.
> 
> Trigger warning: Mentions of past drug use/overdosing

_ “I am not done changing. Out on the run, changing. I may be old and I may be young, but I am not done changing.”  _

_ -“Changing” by John Mayer _

“Lift and move it in- down a little, yep. Hold it right there,” Pope directs John B. They're trying to line up the first of two hinges on the new back door with the holes from the previous screws. The homeowner tried doing it himself earlier but quickly realized he needed a second set of hands to make sure everything aligns. Pope was available and came to his aid within fifteen minutes of texting him. 

“Got it, Bubba?” 

“Just tightenin’ this second set and then you can let go,'' his friend replies while keeping his focus on the task at hand. Pope tightens the bottom screw in the hinge that connects the door to the frame and crouches down to finish screwing in the hardware.

John B is scheduled to work after lunch into the early evening at the marina. He could have taken the morning to sleep in or wash the growing pile of dirty clothes in the bedroom but he wanted to get one small project for the house done. He thought putting in the new doors and hardware would be a manageable task to complete within two hours. 

Taking the back door off was the easy part; it was installing the new door which proved more challenging without any help. 

His friend stands and motions him to move away from the door. He pushes it closed and they watch as it glides into the door frame and clicks shut. They let out a cry of relief at the sound. 

“On the first try! Thank you, Pope. Really, I appreciate your help, man,” John B bumps his fist against his friend’s and grins. “Let’s see if we can repeat that luck in the front.” 

The pair sets to work removing the old door from the frame and attaching the hinges to the new door. Just as they lift it and align the screw holes on the frame, a black Range Rover SUV stops in front of the Chateau and Ward Cameron steps out, his eyes taking in the cleaned-up exterior.

“Uhh, JB?” Pope glances up to see the businessman walking toward the house. 

“Hmm?” The homeowner’s focus is directed at the task in front of him. With a drill in hand, he screws three bolts into the lower hinge, securing it in the door frame. 

His friend nudges him with his foot. “What’s Ward doing here?” He tilts his chin at the approaching visitor. 

John B stands up slowly. “Uhh, I’m not sure,” he admits, wiping his hands off on his shorts. He sets the cordless drill on a table inside and steps out onto the porch to meet their visitor. 

“Hey, John B!” Ward jogs up the stairs and opens the porch door. He sticks out a hand to greet him and the homeowner shakes it politely. “I hope you don’t mind me dropping by. Just thought I’d see how the renovation was going while on my way to the mainland to get Rafe.” 

The nineteen-year-old glances warily at Pope, whose eyebrows rise at the mention of Sarah’s older brother. As soon as Ward leaves, he knows he’ll be questioned about that news. Rafe must have passed the psych eval Ward mentioned at dinner a few days earlier. The homecoming for the king of the Kooks is just a couple of hours away.

“No, not at all, sir. Good to see you. Pope and I were just getting set up to put in the new front door,” he casually explains, nodding at his friend. 

Ward turns and firmly shakes the other teen’s hand. “Nice to see you, Pope. I'm pretty sure Rose’s going to be placing a big order with your father either today or tomorrow. We’re hosting some friends in a couple of days. Just so he knows. Oh, and thank you for helping Wheezie review for the APUSH exam a few weeks ago. Not sure if Sarah mentioned it to you or not, but she felt really good about her test when she took it.” 

Pope nods, smiling politely. “Yes, Sarah did tell me. Happy to help Wheezie, sir.” 

“Well, I do appreciate it, son.” The older man turns back toward the young homeowner. “So, can I see what you’ve done here? Sarah hasn’t mentioned much about the work you’ve done since you and JJ spent those few nights with us during the abatement. I know she’s here when she isn’t working at the club so I assume she’s been helping you boys out.” 

_ There’s a reason she hasn’t mentioned it, Ward. It’s ‘cause you haven’t been around to talk to her like she wants to, _ he thinks. However, he won’t share his thoughts with his visitor out of fear of facing his famous short fuse. 

John B feels backed into a corner but nods. Ward is already here on the porch, leaving him no choice but to show him around. “Yessir, I can show you what we’ve done so far. The inside is messy in areas but it’s slowly getting done.” 

He leads Ward inside to show him around and explains their renovation plan. Ward already knows they hired contractors for the roof, asbestos removal, and putting up new walls throughout the fish shack. He, JJ, and Pope take on smaller projects on their days off from work, which leaves the weekends for tackling all-day projects like staining furniture, installing light fixtures, and putting up shiplap. 

“The first thing we finished was the bathroom. Our contractor put in the tile, sink, tub, and toilet while JJ and I replaced the caulking, showerhead, and installed a new medicine cabinet. The kitchen is nearly done; it’s just missing one or two shelves and a new faucet for the sink. Uhh, JJ’s room is a constant work in progress and my room is a work zone. We still have some things for the living room, my Dad’s old office, and the porch left to do, but I’m happy with what’s been done so far.” The homeowner slowly turns around himself, taking in the transformation, and grins. 

John B feels a strong sense of pride in his home that he never felt previously. The work he, JJ, Pope, and Sarah are doing in each room leaves him satisfied- a feeling that most homeowners must feel after tackling a major DIY project. 

While Ward inspects the bathroom, he notices his door is halfway open and quickly pulls it shut. 

He lied- his room isn’t a work zone anymore, except for the half-assembled ceiling fan and the blinds that need to be installed. However, he has no interest in explaining why there are two night tables on either side of the bed to Sarah’s dad. The extra pillow and blanket he never put away from a few days earlier on the pullout sofa bed sell the lie. 

Pope and the homeowner observe the older man exit the bathroom and stroll in to the kitchen, closely scrutinizing every new surface like a home inspector before they deem a property fit for selling. 

Ward runs a hand along the cabinet door surface. “Did you and JJ stain the cabinets yourselves?” He asks over his shoulder. 

John B nods. “Yeah, we did. Sarah helped too. It took a couple coats to get the color we wanted, but I’m happy with it.” 

Ward turns to him and smiles. The spark of pride in his eye catches both young men by surprise. “You boys did a nice job on that staining job. It’s even and sealed very smoothly. The color’s great. Where’d you get it?” He gestures at the upper cabinets behind him. 

“Lowe’s, sir,” the homeowner answers. He grabs the can of leftover stain from the utility closet to show him the brand and color. 

His guest chuckles lightly, shaking his head. “John B, you’re nineteen. No need for all the ‘yes, sirs’ with me. It’s like I said last week- you’re practically family at this point.” He claps a hand against his upper arm like a father does to his son. 

“That’s not going to happen, sir. Those six months living at Tannyhill ingrained it in me.”

Ward chuckles again, pleased with his impact on John B. “Well, there are worse habits you could have picked up on while you lived with us. I’m glad it was that and not any of Rafe’s poor choices,” he says offhandedly. 

The candid comment causes both boys to raise their eyebrows while he glances down at his Rolex. Ward is usually much better at hiding his disdain for Rafe’s drug-fueled behavior, but they say nothing. 

“Well gentlemen, I need to get back on the road. Sorry for dropping by unannounced, but the work looks good here. Your old man would be proud of what you’ve undertaken here, John B. I’ll see you both soon, I’m sure.” 

With that, he walks out of the Chateau and unlocks the SUV, leaving the two Pogues smiling forcefully at him. They watch in silence as Ward pulls away before Pope speaks up. 

“Sarah hasn't told Ward that she’s movin’ in, has she?” 

John B shakes his head. “Nope. She’s nervous but we've talked about it. The choice is hers when she moves in. She’ll always have a place here, but she’s having a hard time bringing it up with Ward.”

He leaves the explanation at that. Sarah confiding to him about her mom’s letters is something he intends to keep private. Savannah’s words are weighing down on her, especially the most recent one she read and told him about. 

Sometimes he wonders if he should open the letter Sarah gave him to see if the woman has any words of wisdom he could use to support her. He lacks female figures in his life and he’s unsure what he could say to help her through her insecurities. 

“And what did he mean when he said he was going to get Rafe?” 

The homeowner sighs. “Ward told us at dinner a few nights ago that he was nearly finished with rehab. Rafe must’ve cleared his psych eval yesterday so he’s comin’ back to the Outer Banks.”

Pope clears his throat. “So pretty boy Cameron is on his way back.” He groans. “Fan-fucking-tastic. King of the Kooks back on OBX turf,” he mutters bitterly. 

“You sound like JJ,” John B comments with an eye roll. He picks up the drill and tries closing the door to check that it closes properly. 

“Yeah, well you'd sound like us too if you got the shit beaten out of you by Rafe, Topper, and his golf clubs.” 

His friend isn't wrong. The Pogues endured enough verbal and physical sparing with Rafe and his Kook friends throughout high school. Even after he started dating Sarah and lived at Tannyhill for six months, the oldest Cameron child with his gelled back hair continued to taunt the Pogues. 

The day Rafe overdosed was scary, especially for Sarah and Wheezie, but John B would be lying if he said the Kook didn't deserve to suffer a little. He felt guilty for thinking that, especially when Rafe’s health was touch and go for at least a week after. Later on, he confided his guilt-filled thoughts to Sarah, who was understandably surprised, but she didn't disagree. The overdose was a horrific thing but Sarah and Wheezie (and the Pogues) agree: it was a much-needed wake-up call for Ward and Rose to get Rafe’s help. 

He drops his hands to the side and huffs, slightly peeved by his friend’s sour tone. “Look, I'm not exactly thrilled that he's coming back either. But we can't do anything about it except avoid him as much as we can. That'll be harder for me, given me and Sarah, but I still gotta do it.” 

Pope glances around the porch and scoffs. “Oh for fuck’s sake, JB…” He mutters **.**

**“** Pope, I need you to be smarter than JJ about this whole thing. You don’t need to do it for me, but at least do it for Sarah,” he pleads. 

John B sees the moment Pope’s resolve drops. His friend has a soft spot for the dirty blonde. All the Pogues do. Once Sarah became part of their group, each of them bonded with her in their own way. Pope’s quick thinking and her connections helped find the gold and secure their claim to it. The Pogues sometimes felt like the pair talked circles around them when it came to news, books, and academics. When the school year started, they talked for hours about college apps, scholarships, and SAT/ACT prep. They were each other’s biggest cheerleader throughout the college admissions process while spending hours with JJ to prepare to take the GRE. 

Kie had the “intervention” on the boat with her, courtesy of the boys. After that bizarre overnight experience, the two girls gradually re-established their friendship. It took a couple of months and several late-night conversations (and maybe one or two more questionable joints from JJ’s cousin) after they found the gold, but Sarah proved she wasn’t going to bail— on Kie, on John B, or the rest of the Pogues. They have their differences but their shared experience of dodging the terrifying Mrs. Crain secured them for life. 

JJ was the hardest to crack. Sarah may have helped with locating the  _ Royal Merchant _ gold, but he struggled with letting another person into his life, especially someone related to Rafe Cameron. He felt like Sarah replaced him as one of the most important people in John B’s life. For the first few weeks, he more or less tolerated her presence. His best friend was happy, but he noticed small changes in his behavior. When school started in August, John B wasn’t cutting class to surf like he did in the past. He blamed Sarah for his best friend’s change in behavior. After a heart to heart with the dirty blonde, they reached an understanding: Sarah’s relationship with John B will always be different from the friendship they have, but she will never replace him. They are brothers in every sense of the word, save for DNA. Eventually, the blond stopped thinking of her as an honorary Pogue and an extension of John B. He considers her the sister he never had. 

“Fine. I’ll do it for Sarah,” Pope relents. 

John B lets out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” He sticks his hand out for their handshake and both young men smile. “Now can you help me clean up before you go?” 

The pair finishes the job in less than five minutes before going their separate ways- Pope to Heyward’s to bag deliveries for the high schoolers to drop off, and John B to the marina. 

As he shoves the car key into the Twinkie, the items on the key ring bump against his knee. It forces him to look down after tossing his camo backpack onto the passenger seat. He runs his finger over the wooden house keychain and smiles softly. 

The handcrafted wood is a physical reminder of what’s to come, whether it be in a few weeks or a few months. Eventually, Sarah will move in with him; only she can decide when that will be. Ward’s opinion will greatly influence her decision, even if their relationship feels more off than usual. He just needs to be patient. 

A low rumble of thunder pulls him from his thoughts. He also needs to get to work. Just from looking at the dark clouds in the sky, his shift may be short. He still has a job to do, and the high schoolers working at the marina will need help securing down things before anything flips over or blows away. 

_ I’ve worked there long enough. Maybe Rick will let me go early, _ he thinks as he puts the van into drive. This isn’t the first storm of the summer. It certainly won’t be the last. 

\---

The moment she stood up on her rented surfboard to catch the growing Atlantic wave, Kie knew she would wipe out. Nonetheless, she tightened her core to keep balance as she carved through the salty ocean water but it was much stronger than she anticipated, especially this early in the day. Waves at Copacabana Beach are incredible but much harder to surf on than the waves she knows in North Carolina. She rides the lower part of the wave before getting knocked off the board. 

Kie dragged Karly out early this morning for dawn patrol. Her traveling companion doesn’t surf, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, and Karly seemed more than willing to watch the sunrise while she surfed first thing. The sun rises higher into the sky and warms her face when she breaks the water’s surface.

_ JJ would love this, _ she thinks. Dawn patrol at the Outer Banks is nowhere near as busy or challenging as it is here, but the experience is thrilling. 

The surfboard floats beside her, thanks to the strap attached to her ankle, while she catches her breath. She jerks her right foot back to pull the board towards her and pushes her body on top to paddle back to the sandy beach. 

Karly looks up from her ereader and smiles as Kie trudges up the beach. She passes her the sticker-covered water bottle and towel which the North Carolinian gratefully accepts. 

“Thanks, Karls,” she says before taking a long sip of water. 

“So I don’t know anything about surfing...” 

_ Oh boy, where is she going with this?  _

“... but it seemed like you had that last wave before you fell off the board. We haven’t been out long but today doesn’t seem like it’s your day, Kiara. Are you okay?” The observation makes her lightly laugh. It’s rooted in honesty- something she appreciates. 

Kie pats down her face with the towel before passing it back to her friend and bending over to remove the Velcro strap wrapped around her ankle. 

“Your honesty is one of my favorite things about you, Karly. But you’re right. Today isn’t my day for surfing.” She sits on the board that lays on the sand and takes back the towel to wrap it around herself. 

Her dark eyes pass over the horizon and the other surfers riding waves from the Atlantic back to shore. The orange hues around the sun gradually overwhelm the receding gradient of dark blue and black from the night sky. Waves, big and small, crash into the shore, leaving foaming little bubbles in its wake. Occasionally, the shriek of a younger child fills the air as the water touches their toes during a morning walk along the beach. 

The curly-haired Pogue leans back on the surfboard and closes her eyes. “I just have a lot on my mind. It’s nothing bad, I just thought maybe going out on dawn patrol might clear it.” 

Karly waits a few beats before responding. “Do you want to talk about it? No pressure, but if you want to talk about it, you can,” she offers kindly. She tucks the ereader into her bag before digging her palms into the sand.

The girls sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Karly breaks it. 

“Y’know, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking too. I’ve had so much fun traveling the last couple of months, but I miss home.” She smiles softly and closes her eyes, soaking up the rising sun. “I know I said I might want to hang around through the end of the year, but I don’t think I’ll make it. I miss my family. My older sister is having a baby in July and I want to be around to help her and her husband out once the baby arrives. Her husband works for this tech startup in Austin and they’re getting pretty close to launching so once his paternity leave ends, he’s going to be flying back and forth between Austin, New York, Vegas, and San Francisco to schmooze more investors.” 

Kie sits up on her elbows to watch the surf. “Tech guy, huh? Must be nice to be that smart,” she comments casually. 

“Yep.” Her friend glances at her from the corner of her eye. “You’ve mentioned your friends coming home from school a lot more in the last couple of weeks. Do you miss ‘em?”

The Pogue nods. “Yeah, I do miss them. I miss my parents too, even though we don’t always have the best relationship.” She sits up more fully now on the board and rests her arms on her bent knees. “It just- it’s weird to not be in North Carolina in June when all the tourists come pouring in for the summer. My parents own this restaurant, The Wreck, which is a major hotspot in the Outer Banks. It’s ranked pretty high on TripAdvisor. Dad is the owner and cook, and he puts his heart and soul into it, so naturally, I got involved with it. When I was old enough, he had me waitressing and running the register, stuff like that. I haven’t always seen eye to eye with him, especially with my friends, but John B, JJ, and Pope would protect me with their lives just like I would for them. And Sarah is my best friend who I’d fight for any day of the week. We’ve had our differences but I would destroy John B if he ever broke Sarah’s heart.” 

Karly meets Kie’s eyes and gently smiles. “I get that. The way you talk about them sounds like you guys have a lot of history. I don’t blame you for missing them.” 

The girls fall quiet again as the sun rises higher in the sky. Within minutes, crowds begin to descend upon the sandy beach. Tourists scramble to claim spots close enough to the water but far enough away that the tide won’t sweep away their belongings. 

“You ready to get breakfast, Kie?” Karly stands up to dust the sand off her legs and shorts before shaking out her towel. 

She tugs on her t-shirt and stands, pulling the rental surfboard up with her. “Yeah, let’s go. I’m starving!” She didn’t spend more than forty-five minutes surfing but she worked up enough of an appetite to stop and get breakfast at one of the coffee shops on the walk back to their hostel. 

Parts of their conversation replay in her head. She’s relieved to know that she’s not the only one in her travel group that misses home and her family. Throughout her travels, she’s learned so much about people, Brazilian history, cooking, and the arts. However, the biggest lesson she’s taken away from the last couple of months is that it’s okay to miss home. Adventure and exploring are exciting but sometimes, the comforts of home and loved ones are necessary to recharge.

“Hey, Karls? Will you let me know when you’re ready to go home? I’ve gotten so used to traveling with others that the idea of flying solo for more than eight hours sounds lonely.” It takes a lot for Kie to ask her friend the question and to be that vulnerable. As someone who usually prides herself on being independent, admitting that flying by herself would be lonely and she wants someone with her feels risky but freeing. 

Karly bumps an arm against her before looping their arms together to push through the increasing crowds. “Yeah, I will. The same goes for you, k? There are a few more spots I want to see while we’re here, but when you’re ready, just say the word. Jayla and Mo will understand.” 

Kie nods. “For sure.” She leans her head on her taller friend’s shoulder when they stop at a crosswalk, which Karly mimics. 

Whenever this adventure abroad ends, she knows she’ll leave Brazil with three lifelong friends. The last five months were eye-opening, educational, and at some points, thrilling and full of laughter. She will walk away with memories and knowledge that you can’t learn and experience through a textbook or a documentary. 

_ I guess this means I’ll be researching departure airports here pretty soon.  _

\---

“Have you talked to Dad about moving out?” 

Wheezie throws open the door for Sarah’s bedroom and slams it behind her. The noise startles the dirty blonde as she paints her toenails. 

“Jeez! Can't you knock?” She asks her sister, who plops down across from her on the bay window seat. 

“I could, but this felt too important to wait. Why haven't you said anything to him?” The look in her sister’s glasses-covered brown eyes is borderline accusatory. 

Sarah quietly groans. She reaches down to lift the basket of nail polish and remover from the floor and digs around for a cotton ball before answering . 

“I would have said something if he didn't drop the news about Rafe coming home at dinner a few nights ago.” She tilts the bottle of acetone polish remover onto the cotton ball before setting it aside and dabbing it at the now drying nail color on her skin. 

“You mean when John B was here? For dinner? Yeah, that would've gone over really well,” the teen says sarcastically. “He would've skinned him alive. Are you trying to sentence him to death?”

Despite her younger sister’s best effort, Sarah doesn't laugh. The questions weigh down on her shoulders: when will she finally express her intention to move in with John B to Ward? 

The words from many of her mother’s letters cross her mind: people are good, people are ruthless, and you never know who’s going to do the most damage to your heart. Ward is a good man but he can be ruthless when he becomes angry. She witnessed that side of him when Rafe overdosed three summers ago, and again when he relapsed earlier this year. His fury and anger can be scary to watch as a bystander, but it’s flat out terrifying to be on the receiving end. She doesn't ever want to see what he’s like when he loses a contract or someone or something happens that makes him look weak. 

Sarah shakes her head. “No, I was going to talk to Ward about it after John B left. This is my news to break, not John B’s.” She bites her lip before she continues. “Do you think it's possible for people to be good and ruthless at the same time?” 

The brunette leans against the window with crossed arms and raises a questioning eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

She gazes out the window and watches as clouds move slowly across the sky, briefly blocking the sun. “Remember the box of letters my mom wrote for Rafe and me before she died?” 

Her sister nods. “You’ve mentioned them a few times. What about them?”

“In a few of her letters, she said that people are good, and people are ruthless, and you never know which ones will do the most damage to you and your heart. Those words keep echoing in my head,” she shares. 

Wheezie tilts her head to the side, confused. “Okay…?” 

Sarah sighs heavily. She replaces the cap on the nail polish remover and discards the used cotton ball before bringing her knees to her chest. Unconsciously, she starts anxiously twisting the promise ring on her finger. 

“I'm scared, okay! Ever since I read a letter from my mom about moving out where she said that if I move in with a guy before I'm engaged or married, Ward’ll be pissed, and I'm really scared he’ll react badly.” She worries her lip for a moment. “John B and I have talked about our future and we both want the same things. The ring on my right hand is a promise of that. I just- how the hell do I say, ‘Hey Dad, I want to move in with my boyfriend and his best friend. I’d still keep my room here but I’m living with John B most of the time from now on,’ without Dad completely blowing up on me?” The confession spills from her mouth before she realizes what she’s saying. 

Wheezie gasps loudly. “Whoa whoa whoa! He gave you the ring? And you guys didn't tell me?” She sounds slightly offended but grabs Sarah’s right hand to inspect the jewelry. “How rude, John B,” she grumbles, yet her eyes are bright with excitement. “But wow, it's even prettier in person than the picture or the Facetime video made it look.” 

Sarah nods as a smile grows across her lips. Her sister’s elation melts her concerns away, leaving a dreamy expression on her face. “Yeah, he gave it to me the day Dad invited him for dinner. We were decorating our room with the shiplap we stained. He also gave me my own house key with a little house keychain. It’s over on the dresser.” She juts her chin toward the furniture and Wheezie stands to grab it. 

“Okay, that’s super cheesy but really, really cute and totally something he would do for you,” her sister exclaims while holding up the gift. The teen eyes it carefully before setting it down and returning to the bay window. Instead of sitting in her vacated spot, she squeezes into the space between the wall and her older sister. 

The sisters sit quietly at the bay window as the late afternoon sun peeks through the rainclouds and warms their skin. In the last several weeks, they haven’t spent much time together between Sarah’s job and Wheezie finishing the school year. Life keeps them busy. They soak up the silence together- no tennis lessons or matches, lacrosse clinics, high school parties, or gatherings at the beach club interrupt them.

“Are you happy, Sarah?” Wheezie asks softly. She closes her eyes and rests her head on the older girl’s shoulder. 

Sarah leans her head against Wheezie’s and nods. “Yeah, I really am.” She lifts her right hand in front of them where sunlight reflects off the knotted metal. “No matter what happens in the future, I know John B will be there beside me through the good and the bad.”

The high schooler raises her head to meet her sister’s eyes. “Then I think you answered your own question.” 

“Huh?” The dirty blonde’s eyebrows knit together. She doesn’t understand what question Wheezie is referring to. 

“You were wondering how to tell Dad that you want to move in with John B,” she reminds her. “I’m really happy that you’re happy, Sarah, but maybe you just have to rip the band-aid off and tell him. There may never be a good time. You just said it yourself: John B will be there beside you through the good and the bad, and I know that includes Ward losing his shit. You’re an adult, you have so much money in your bank account, and you have a ring on your right finger to remind you of what’s to come. It’s okay to be scared, especially when it’s something as important as this, but you shouldn’t let it take control of your life.” 

The teen pauses to take a breath after her tangent. “And no one knows what the future could be like. Maybe your Mom will be right about Ward. Maybe she won’t. Either way, you won’t ever know unless you do something.” 

Sarah blinks while processing what she just heard. She opens and closes her mouth a couple of times, unsure of what to say. Her sister has never left her speechless until now. “When the hell did you get so wise?”

Wheezie shyly smiles and shrugs. “Coach Bauman said something similar to us just before playoffs started. He told us that without any risk, there isn't a reward. It's scary to take risks, especially if it's in the last ten seconds of a game that you could lose or send into overtime by scoring. If you take the shot and the goalie catches it, it's game over. You did what you could to tie the game up and force it into overtime, but just because it didn't work out the way you wanted doesn't mean you let it haunt you. I think it works in this case too.” 

The sports analogy helps put her sister’s advice in context. She bumps her elbow against the sixteen-year old’s arm and smiles at her gratefully. 

“Well, your coach is right. I needed to hear that, so thank you, Wheezie.” 

Just as the youngest Cameron child is about to respond, someone knocks softly on the bedroom door. 

The sisters exchange a quizzical glance before Sarah calls out, “Who is it?”

“Uh, it's Rafe.” The oldest sibling answers hesitantly from the other side of the door. “Can I come in?”

Sarah looks down and realizes she’s wearing a sports bra and spandex shorts. “Uhh, one sec- I'm changing.” She grabs a t-shirt from the closest pile of clean clothes off her floor and tugs it on as she walks toward the door. 

Wheezie and Sarah exchange one last glance and silently wonder how Rafe will act now that he’s home from rehab before she pulls open the door. 

Leaning against the door frame is Rafe Cameron without the hair gel, bloodshot eyes, and pastel polo shirt. In its place is a cleaner- figuratively and literally- version of her older brother. As he straightens up, she can't help but notice how much healthier he looks. 

“Hey Sarah, Wheezie,” he starts nervously. He shoves his hands into his pockets and gives them an uneasy smile. 

“Hi. Um, welcome home, Rafe.” Sarah opens the door more fully.

The young adult runs a hand through his gel-free hair. “Can I come in?” He sounds nervous, which confuses Sarah, but she won’t say that to him. 

The dirty blonde nods and her brother steps through the door to sit at the bay window. The sisters sit on the edge of the bed, keeping a careful distance between them and Rafe. 

He anxiously cracks his knuckles before looking up to meet his sisters’ waiting eyes. 

“Look, I don't want to make this weird. I just wanted to say hello and apologize for putting both of you through my bullshit of relapsing, especially because you probably got the short end of Ward’s fuse here. Wheezie, I’m so sorry that you had to see me like that again. And Sarah, I’m sorry for all the stress my relapse caused while you were at school. I know you drove back and forth a few times- Ward mentioned it. I acted selfishly and didn’t think about how this would affect you guys again. Therapy and rehab helped me out of the dark place I was in, and I’m really sorry. I haven’t acted like the older brother I know I should be but I hope that this is the first step toward forgiveness. I know my triggers now. The last four months… I needed it. I desperately needed to get away and get my life under control.” 

The expression on the twenty-two year old’s face is full of regret. It dawns on her how much Rafe Alexander Cameron has matured since she saw him in January. The difference in his demeanor when he finished the six-week treatment program through UNC Health just under three years ago and now is shocking. 

It takes a few moments for the girls to respond when the words finally come to Sarah. 

“Wow. I’m- Rafe, I'm really happy that the long-term treatment was what you needed to get your life back. If Mom was here, I know she’d be proud of you for overcoming it.” She smiles gently at her brother, who bows his head at the mention of Savannah. 

He shakes his head. “I never would have gone off the rails if Mom was still here, Sarah. She never would have let me,” he mutters softly. 

Wheezie and Sarah exchange another uneasy glance. They need to choose their next words carefully. If they say the wrong thing, it could trigger Rafe after four months of progress, and the conversation could blow up in front of them. 

“That may be true, Rafe,” the younger girl says cautiously. “But that doesn't lessen what you overcame in the last couple of months. If anything, I think it proves how much you've grown. And I think that's something to be proud of.” 

The dirty blonde’s head turns, her mouth agape. Wheezie doesn’t mince her words; the fifteen-year old’s wisdom surprises her. “What the fuck is up with your lacrosse coach and these motivational speeches?” 

Rafe looks up and cracks a small smile. “Is Baumann still coaching?” 

She nods. 

“Damn, that man never stops. He’s still giving those speeches? He gave those before we took algebra tests to hype us up or somethin’ freshmen year. Maybe it was to motivate us to do a good job? I don’t know. God, I thought that was just a faze but that man needs to become a fuckin’ TED talker.” 

Wheezie gasps. “You had Coach Baumann as your algebra teacher?” A surprised smile crosses her lips at this news. 

He leans back against the window and laughs. “Hell yeah, I did. He was the only teacher who actually gave a shit about me at that damn school. He took none of my crappy behavior in class because he wanted me to do well for myself as a student. Our last name didn’t matter to him- I was his student and he wanted to teach me what he could. Everyone else at school just gave me a free pass for my behavior because of Dad except him.” 

Rafe pauses his reflection and looks at Wheezie. “Do you have Baumann’s email? I want to catch up with him. I’m gonna need a mentor post-rehab. Maybe he’s someone I should reach out to.” 

The siblings continue catching up for a couple of minutes. Any initial awkwardness felt from Rafe’s arrival dissipated quickly once they broke the ice.

“So what’s the first thing you want to do now that you’re back?” Wheezie asks Rafe. She rests her hands on the mattress behind her and leans back.

Rafe briefly considers his response. “I can’t wait to sleep in my bed tonight. The facility I was at had pretty comfortable accommodations for us but it’s nice to be home. It kinda felt like I was back at college the one semester I was there with the gym, dining hall, the dorms. The only thing missing was the bitchy RA and the stack of textbooks I never used,” he answers with his signature smirk. 

_ Yep, he’s definitely back,  _ Sarah thinks as she laughs. “Anything else?” 

“Are you guys up for some Cook Out? I could really go for a peanut butter fudge milkshake, a double burger tray and cheese bites right about now.” 

Wheezie’s response is immediate. “Yes! Please, yes. I haven’t had a milkshake since pre-season and now I’m craving a mint chocolate chip shake,” she says enthusiastically. 

“I’m down for Cook Out. Wheez, can you pass me my wristlet? It’s hanging on the edge of the bed frame.” Sarah points at the corner of her bed. 

Her sister reaches across the mattress and grabs it from the corner frame. She unzips the wristlet and nods. “Don’t forget your keys are on the dresser,” she reminds her before handing it off. 

Rafe stands and shoves a hand into his pocket. “Ward mentioned on the drive back that Rose has some dinner tonight so it’ll just be us. Something about the firm closing on several big properties this week?” 

“That’s fine. Do you want to go in half an hour?” Sarah suggests after checking the time on her phone. 

Her siblings nod. 

“I need to change my clothes, so I’ll meet you both downstairs. I’ll drive,” the dirty blonde tells them. She reads through her notifications quickly and notices a text from John B. 

“Hey, Sarah, Wheezie? Can I ask one more thing from both of you?” Her brother glances between the two of them. 

“Hmm?” Sarah hums while reading the text. 

**_Ward dropped by the Chateau today. Said Rafe was coming back. Is he home?_ **

“While I was in rehab, I went to this seminar on relationships. It covered ways we can express our love for others and the ways we best receive it in return. We took a love languages quiz and I learned that one of my top love languages was physical touch, which, honestly, surprised me. All I got was a handshake from Ward when he came to the facility this afternoon. I know this sounds nothing like me or who I was before I left, but is it too much to ask for a hug?” While he explained himself, Rafe’s cheeks turned red, whether it be from nerves or embarrassment over the question. He rubs the back of his neck while his eyes flicker between Sarah and Wheezie. 

She stops typing her reply to John B and sets the phone down beside her. The request stuns her. Physical affection is not a phrase she would associate with Rafe, especially with his behavior over the last couple of years, but she pushes her feelings aside. From the few minutes she’s spent with him since he returned home, it’s clear the last four months away from Kildare changed him from the inside out. She doesn’t want to call him soft, but he seems like a new and improved version of himself. This version happens to want a hug from his two sisters, something he hasn’t asked for in some time. 

Sarah stands and wordlessly approaches him before looking straight into his eyes. “Who are you and what have you done with Rafe Alexander Cameron?” The question might sound like she’s accusing him of lying, but the smile and lighthearted tone she asks it in reveals her true feelings about his return: she’s happy that he’s home, healthy and renewed. 

He rolls his eyes with faux annoyance but wraps his arms around her. “You’re a real bitch sometimes,” he teases. “How the hell does John B put up with you?” 

Scoffing, she pulls away slightly and slaps his arm. “It’s not like you’re any better, you asshole!” Sarcasm drips from her voice. 

The mattress shifts behind her as Wheezie stands and joins them. She never was very close to Rafe growing up, but his change in character stirs something in her heart. 

“I guess I can give you a hug, but only because you asked so nicely.” The smirk on the teen’s lips is all the oldest sibling needs before he throws an arm around her shoulders and pulls her close. 

“And you’re still a brat. I’m glad some things never change around here!” 

As Rafe’s arm tightens around her shoulder, Sarah can’t help but smile.  _ Some things change for the better, and I think you’re proof of that, Rafe.  _

\---

“Ahem.” 

The sound of Rose clearing her throat across the table prompts Ward to lift his eyes from the unopened emails on his phone. 

“Sorry, honey. Didn’t realize you came back from the restroom,” he apologizes while tucking the device in the inner pocket of his jacket. He lifts his glass of whiskey toward his wife. “To you and your team for closing on a one-point eight million dollar listing this week. Congratulations, Rose.” 

He  _ clinks  _ the drink against his wife’s glass of Merlot and gives her a charming smile. 

They left for dinner shortly after he returned to Tannyhill with Rafe. A night out was needed to celebrate the large commission Rose got from the mansion sale earlier this week and Rafe’s return from rehab. 

“I placed our order with Heyward’s for the party on Thursday this afternoon. He said he’d deliver it that morning for the caterers so it’s ready to serve.” She takes a sip of wine and swirls it around the glass. “Are you sure using this as a welcome home party for Rafe is a good idea, Ward? With all the people we want to invite?” 

He leans forward in his seat and rests his arms on the cloth-covered table. His business persona takes over his charming and loving husband side. An argument, even if Rose didn’t phrase her question as one, presented itself, and he is ready to plead his case. 

“Honey, it’s not like he was in solitary confinement. He’s twenty-two, almost twenty-three years old. He’s dropped out of college, overdosed, spent six weeks in treatment, took three classes at the community college, relapsed, and spent the last four months in rehab. He can’t keep living off us. He needs to start networking so he can get a job and get out of the house, especially if he’s not getting a degree. I’ve had to use most of his college savings account to pay for both treatments since the insurance wouldn’t cover most of the cost. You’ve seen the bills from this stint of rehab- the cost is astronomical. I’m just looking out for his future.” 

His wife looks unsure but chooses to hold her tongue for a few moments. She’s slightly annoyed at how quickly her husband’s mind switched from their night out to talk about their finances, especially when he should be relieved his son is finished with addiction treatment and back home. 

Rose sighs and picks up the menu to glance over the dinner selections. “He’s your son, not mine. I’m not going to tell you how to parent, but as your wife, I am allowed to share my concerns,”  she says matter-of-factly. She looks over the edge of the menu to meet her husband’s curious eyes. “I’m just concerned that you’re pushing him into things you want him to do too quickly. In case you forgot, those therapy sessions you went to with Rafe at UNC revealed some not-so-nice things about you and the amount of pressure you put him under.”  Her pointed tone and raised eyebrow cause him to scowl. 

Ward opens his mouth with a retort at the tip of his tongue when she reaches across the table to take his hand. “Just think about Savannah and what she’d want for Rafe if she were still here,” she says gently. 

Any fight he stirred in himself disappears at the mention of his first wife. He rests his head in his other hand and sighs heavily. Rose is right: he needs to think about what Savvy would want him to do if she were here. It’s been a little over sixteen years since she died. He’s tried his hardest to do right by his oldest two children, but he knows he has failed on numerous occasions. 

Acknowledging his failure is a good thing, right? 

“You’re right, honey. I’m sorry. It was a big week for you and we should be celebrating that, not talking about Rafe and what I want for him,” he apologizes with a squeeze to her hand. “Thank you for placing the order with Heyward. Tell you what: we’ll make it less of a networking opportunity for him and use it as a beginning-of-the-summer get-together for some of his friends and invite a couple of neighbors and some of our friends. Is that a reasonable compromise?” 

Rose considers his offer for a couple of moments before nodding. “Yes, that’s reasonable.” She smiles softly before picking up the menu again. “So what are you thinking of getting for dinner? The lobster under the chef’s specials sounds delicious.” 

Ward chuckles and lifts her left hand to his lips. To many people, his marriage to Rose occurred too soon after Savannah’s death, but he fell in love with her quickly. Her drive and determination to succeed are admirable, and she filled most of the void in his heart from Savannah’s death with her laugh and the spark of mischief in her eyes. 

It took time, but Rafe and Sarah slowly warmed up to the new woman in their lives and before he knew it, Rose was pregnant and Wheezie joined the world, turning their family of four into a family of five. The relationship between his second wife and his oldest children is not without its issues, but every family has its own set of unique differences. He firmly believes Sarah and Rafe have looked past them and embraced Rose as a mother-like figure. 

Ward lets go of Rose’s hand and picks up his menu. “Where’s the lobster, honey? That sounds fantastic.” 

All that matters to him is his wife’s happiness, his business’s success, and his family’s health, and he has all three. His children are home and happy at Tannyhill and all feels right in the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this new chapter! Just as a reminder that I'm now student teaching, so I'm not spending as much time writing as I did in the Fall, but I do have content written. The next chapter will go up at some point in February. 
> 
> As always, leave comments and kudos below and flatter me with asks on my tumblr, alexandracheers.tumblr.com. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!!


	13. out with a bang (I guess I'm a disappointment)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kie explores the markets of Rio with her friends, Sarah and Rafe have a heart-to-heart conversation, the Pogue boys go fishing, and the Camerons host Rafe's "welcome home" get-together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left a comment or ask on my Tumblr about the Valentine's Day drabble I posted! If you haven't read it, go check out my work, the house that built me! 
> 
> Ohh boy, this is quite the chapter. It's gonna be a rollercoaster ride so prepare yourselves. I won't keep you waiting. Songs that inspired this chapter and translations will be in the end notes. 
> 
> Trigger warning: mentions of death, drug overdosing, hallucinations

Just like in São Paulo, open-air markets in Rio de Janeiro are a spectacle that must be experienced in person. You need to be there to see it; recounting the trip or sharing photos and videos of the markets does the experience no justice. The music, the colors, the vibrant culture, and the carioca Portuguese variant are just a small cross-section of the city’s spirit. 

Today Kie and her traveling companions ventured out to Feira Hippie de Ipanema, a large street market located in the Ipanema neighborhood within the South Zone of Rio. Karly read about it online a few days ago and was very excited to discover that a group of hippies started the weekend market in the late sixties. 

“Doesn’t that sound like so much fun? I’m sure there’s tons of amazing artists selling their work,” she shared between bites of pastel de queijo, a savory deep-fried pastry. 

The group quickly agreed to wander around the market for a few hours before returning to their hostel and spending the remaining hours at Copacabana beach. 

“Where do we even begin?” Jayla wonders out loud as they approach Praça General Osório, the city block square where the market is held. Her head swivels around, taking in the array of sights in front of and around them. 

“I don’t know, Jay, but I’m sure I’m gonna walk out of here with gifts for Sarah and my parents,” Kie replies, linking arms with her friend. The group of four go from stall to stall, admiring the contemporary and folk art goods for sale. Jewelry, bikinis, paintings, gemstones, ceramic figurines- they see something new and impressive every time they turn. 

During her conversations in broken Portuguese and English with artisans, Kie learns about the process behind the variety of goods each person sells. Natural pigments from plants are used in thread for clothing. Potters dip vases, plates, and other decorative clay works in buckets of glaze that will be taken back to the shop and fired in the kiln. Woodworkers carve small statues by hand at the back of their stall. Even if she doesn’t purchase anything, the vendors are excited to show off their craft and the passion behind each piece. 

Her appreciation for the arts grows throughout the morning. There are so many beautiful pieces and she wants to buy something from every artisan. 

After careful consideration, Kie returns to a few stalls to purchase gifts for her parents and Sarah. The families running each stall were happy to see her return and accepted her bargained offers. For her mom, she purchased a handwoven bag. Although he doesn’t wear cufflinks and other jewelry often, she found a beautiful jewelry box with a wood-burned compass for her dad to display on his dresser. After double-checking the photos she received of their bedspread, Kie found two decorative pillows for Sarah and John B’s room and a beaded necklace for her best friend. Finally, she selected a 4x10 wood carved and painted piece of colorful homes lining the streets of Rio that leads up to Christ the Redeemer for herself. 

Two hours of shopping and exploring later, the four travelers regroup at a booth selling acarajé, a croquette fried in palm oil and filled with spicy shrimp. 

“Holy shit, that smells amazing,” Mo exclaims, his mouth watering at the sight and smell of the fried breakfast dish. He makes a beeline for the food cart and digs out his wallet. “ _Quanto? Posso passar no cartão de crédito?_ ” He asks the street food vendor, who answers him in Portuguese. 

A minute later, the man passes the young man a container of the acarajé. 

“ _Obrigado_ ,” he calls over his shoulder with a wave before he bites into the food. 

Jayla, Karly, and Kie reach into the container to try the new dish when Mo lets out a pleasurable groan. 

“Oh my God. I’m in heaven right now.” 

“Do you need a moment? Should we leave you two to get to know each other?” Jayla asks sarcastically, gesturing at the acarajé and Mo with her hand. “‘Cuz we can go compare purchases if y’all need some privacy!” She pauses, and her eyes widen. 

“Crap. I’ve spent too much time with you southerners. Kie, I’m picking up on your slang!” She cries out. With a hand to her head, she pretends to faint like an old Hollywood actress. 

Kie shakes her head with a wide smile. “Next thing you know, you’ll be callin’ us ‘all y’all’ and looking for Cook Out!”

In the few months she’s spent traveling with this group, it warms her heart to know that everyone has picked up on the other’s mannerisms. Jayla almost always brings a camera and an extra lens with her, which means someone needs to hold one expensive lens while she changes to another one. They alternate as her photo assistant at every outing. Karly loves her coffee and needs a cup every morning. Kie didn’t consider herself a coffee drinker before, but she’s grown to enjoy the aroma and the taste of the caffeinated drink. Mo always spews out fun facts about the places they visit. He retains incredible amounts of knowledge and is an enthusiastic teacher, but they’ve learned to pace him so he doesn’t overwhelm them at one time. 

“So… back to the subway? I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to hit the beach for a few hours. We can show off what we bought on the train while Mo gets some alone time with his snack,” Karly playfully suggests. 

“Yeah, let’s go. I got some great bargains but I don’t think I can spend any more money today!” Kie links arms with Karly and Jayla and leads them out of the outdoor market. Their bags of purchases brush against their legs as they move with the crowd of tourists and locals. Mo tries catching up with the trio while still holding onto his snack container and backpack, and eventually latches onto Jayla’s shoulder so they don’t get lost. 

As they get settled in a subway car and leave the station, her conversation with Karly a few days earlier lingers in the back of her mind. Sooner or later, this group will all go their separate ways. As sad as the thought is, they will always have memories of their time traveling together around Brazil. And who knows? Maybe they’ll meet up in another part of the world one day or they’ll come to the Outer Banks and meet the Pogues. 

No matter what, she is happy with her decision to seek out the unknown and travel somewhere by herself. She’s discovered new things about herself and explored the world from a whole new angle. There is more beyond Figure Eight and the Cut, more than Pogues versus Kooks. Whenever she decides to go home, she knows she is walking away with lifelong friends in Jayla, Karly, and Mo. And her best friends will be there when she returns to the Outer Banks. 

\---

The days following Rafe’s return are a whirlwind of activity for the Cameron’s. Ward insisted on family brunch at the beach club that weekend as her brother’s “reintroduction to the Kildare community,” a statement which had Sarah and Wheezie biting their lips to hold back their laughing fits. 

“Why is Dad treating Rafe like he’s some spy who is returning home after being deep undercover for five years?” Wheezie stage whispers to her sister as they follow their brother down the stairs Saturday morning. 

Sarah picks up on the teen’s teasing tone and grins. “Ohh, I was thinking of him as more of a debutante entering society, but I like the undercover spy angle more,” she answers.

Rafe pauses his descent and glares over his shoulder at the pair. “I’m not deaf, and I’m not a debutante. Ward’s just making a bigger deal of me being back than necessary,” he whines.

Wheezie smirks and pushes at his shoulder. “Sure, keep tellin’ yourself that. Now move it. I want Belgium waffles and you’re standing in my way.” 

At the end of brunch, Ward takes off for the golf course, leaving the rest of the Cameron family to disperse. Rafe ran into Topper and Kelce at the club and left to catch up with them, Wheezie went to the beach with a few friends, and Sarah drove to the Chateau to help John B, JJ, and Pope unpack the storage pod sitting on the side of the house. The Pogues spent the rest of the weekend reorganizing the kitchen and bedrooms under Sarah’s watchful eye; before they knew it, the sun had set on the marsh Sunday night, signaling the eve of another week.

By Wednesday afternoon, she is exhausted and her body needs a break from swinging a tennis racket and chasing after eight-year-olds trying the sport for the first time. Her schedule is full with assisting at morning tennis camp and giving private and small group lessons during the afternoon. A mid-day thunderstorm came out of nowhere and canceled lessons for the afternoon, so she is grateful for the extra hours she gained back. 

Sarah has Tannyhill to herself- Rose and Ward are at work, and her siblings are elsewhere. Work and the renovation take up most of her time, especially over the last couple of weeks, and she’s itching to finish the picture frame for her and John B’s room while she’s alone. 

She spreads the finished frame, a poster board, and a box of polaroids and other supplies on the bedroom floor before turning on her Bluetooth speaker and selecting a playlist to fill the room with music. A spray bottle of glass cleaner and paper towels from the supply closet sit on her desk to wipe fingerprints off the glass pane of the frame. Outside, rumbles of thunder fill the sky as rain hits the window. 

Just as she’s signing the note mounted on the back of the frame, she hears heavy footsteps approaching her door before someone knocks on the door. 

“Sarah? You here?” Rafe calls out from the other side before turning the knob. 

Sarah scrambles to hide the project materials but she only manages to hide the frame behind her back. Her brother enters the room and his eyes zero in on her arms that are obviously trying to hide something. 

“You know you should wait a few seconds after knocking before barging into someone's room. I could have been sleeping or changing,” the dirty blonde exasperates. She tries to slide the frame under her bed so Rafe doesn’t see, but her attempt is futile. 

The twenty-two-year-old crosses his arms over his chest and leans a shoulder against the door frame, smirking. 

“I know you’re hiding something. I can see the frame behind your back.” 

“No, I’m not,” she argues. 

“Yeah, you are.” He laughs. “C’mon, I’m not Wheezie. I won’t snitch, I promise. Is it a Father’s Day gift?” 

Sarah glares at her brother. “Wheezie got over her snitching faze two years ago. And no, it’s not a Father’s Day gift. I kind of forgot that was coming up in two weeks,” she admits, embarrassed. 

Rafe straightens up and walks further into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

“So what is it?” He strolls toward her and crouches beside the bed. “Is it something for John B?” 

If this same interaction took place four months ago, she wouldn’t cave as easily as she does now. She slowly pulls the gift from behind her back and slides it across the carpet to her brother, who picks it up. His eyes slowly pan over the polaroid pictures mounted to a poster board before turning it over. On the back is a handwritten note: 

_Moments from our past promise a beautiful future. Love you to the moon and back._   
_XOXO, Sarah_

“So it is for John B,” Rafe assumes before handing it back to Sarah, who holds the frame to her chest. 

“Yeah.” She bites her lip nervously. Rafe has been nothing short of pleasant and honest with her since returning home, and she feels compelled to explain why she made this collection of photos for her boyfriend. 

“Umm, so John B asked me to move in with him a few weeks ago, and I said yes. I’ve been helping him and JJ fix up the house this summer. The frame is something I made for our room,” she says softly.

Her brother raises his eyes. “Oh.” He sounds surprised. He takes a few seconds to process this news before continuing. “Does Ward know?” 

Sarah shakes her head. “No. I’ve tried telling him a few times now but the timing is never right. Stuff keeps happening that interrupts us- phone calls, work, golf buddies, the announcement of you coming home…” 

Her eyes widen in alarm as soon as the words leave her mouth. “Uh, I didn’t mean it like that- like you finishing rehab and the announcement was a major inconvenience. Because it wasn’t. It was just- I was hoping to talk to him about it the same night he told us you were wrapping up. All you had left was the psych eval. So it, uh, surprised me. That’s what I meant.” 

She mentally kicks herself at the end of her rambling monologue and hides her face in her hands. 

_I sound like John B when he’s giving one of his speeches,_ she silently groans. 

Laughter escapes Rafe, causing her to drop the hands covering her face and look at him questionably. “Wow. Tell me how you really feel about my homecoming,” he teases. He doesn’t sound offended by her word vomit.

Sarah releases a heavy sigh of relief and smiles weakly. “Can you blame me? If I said something like that a couple of months ago, who knows how you would’ve reacted! Being honest is better than lying, and I’m already doing enough of that these days by not telling Ward I plan to move out.” 

Her brother sits on the floor beside her and leans his back against the bed frame. He chuckles softly. “I don’t. I really don’t blame you. I’m in a similar spot- I hate the idea of Rose and Ward hosting this ‘summer get-together’ here tomorrow but I have no choice but to agree to it. They think I don’t realize, but I know exactly why they’re having it.” 

She tilts her head to the side and sets the frame aside, encouraging him to continue. 

Rafe pushes some hair that fell into his eyes out of the way. At some point while he was away, he must have given up on the hair gel because she hasn’t seen it since his return. “They’re having it because I’m a twenty-two-year-old college dropout and recovering addict who lives with his dad and stepmother and who has no life plan. Most of the people they invited are friends of theirs who could probably set me up with an internship if Ward or Rose ask. At least Topper and Kelce will be coming to make it a little more bearable. I think Charlie and Mallory are comin’ too. Dad probably invited them because he thinks Charlie will be a ‘good influence’ on me since he’s in law school.” 

The mention of their older cousins piques Sarah’s interest. They haven't seen Amelia's kids, their first cousins, since Thanksgiving. Charlie is following in his mother's footsteps and is a second-year law student at Georgetown. Mallory, or as everyone calls her, Mal, is a first-year middle school English teacher in Virginia. 

“Really? They're coming for a visit?” Her excitement is a sharp pivot away from the reflectionary tone Rafe set a minute ago. 

He nods. “Yeah, he texted last night to check in and said they'd try to stop by on the way to Myrtle Beach once he and Mal finish packing up her classroom for the summer.” His mood turns serious. “Look, I know my life is a mess and Rose and Ward are trying to help me sort it out, but I think it’s too soon to push me into situations like tomorrow’s party.” He pauses and glances at the rain hitting the bay window. “Why undo these last four months just to use me for show?” 

Sarah doesn’t know how to answer him, but she hears the troubled tone in his voice. She remains quiet for a few moments and lets her eyes travel across the bedroom when they land on her box of letters and a photograph of her, Rafe, Savannah, and Ward on her desk. An idea crosses her mind. 

“Hey.” She gently nudges him with her elbow. The young man follows her gaze to the picture frame. “Have you looked through your box of letters from Mom recently? Maybe she’ll have some words of wisdom for you. Or Aunt Amelia. You know she’ll give you as much tough love and advice as Mom does in her letters.” 

Rafe wordlessly stands and picks up the photo from her desk and smiles thoughtfully, as if recalling the moment it was taken from memory. He then lifts his eyes to meet Sarah’s. “Y’know, when I relapsed back in February and ended up in the hospital, I think I saw Mom. I know it was a hallucination from the cocaine that caused it, but I saw her and she looked so disappointed in me. Even after I came out of that drug-induced haze and laid in a hospital bed, I couldn’t get the look of disappointment out of my head.” He replaces it on the furniture and stares at his feet. 

“Mom was the one who got me through rehab this time. I hated myself and as soon as I saw her face, I knew I needed to get better. It was the letters and therapy that motivated me to do something good for myself instead of destroying my life.” He looks up to see shock etched on the dirty blonde’s face. 

“I-I-” Sarah is speechless. Rafe’s admission shakes her to her core. She has hardly ever seen her brother as vulnerable as he is now, except for the day of their mother’s funeral over sixteen years ago. The rough and cocky facade that everyone associated with the oldest Cameron child for all his teenage years disappeared in a matter of months. In its place is a more emotionally-aware young man, trying to heal himself after years of drug addiction. 

She stands up and wraps her arms around her brother. 

“What’s this for?” He hesitates before wrapping an uncertain arm around her shoulder. 

“I’m really proud of you, Rafe,” she whispers. “And Mom would be proud of you too.” 

The smile on his face from her words makes the whole conversation worth it, especially the start. “She’d be proud of you too. Whatever happens with Ward and telling him about you moving out, I’ll back you up.” 

“Thank you. Wheezie told me last week that I should just rip the band-aid off and tell him. There might never be perfect timing and I should just go for it.” 

“Now that sounds like something Baumann would say!” Rafe chuckles before releasing her from his arm. “But I'm serious. I want to get out of here too as soon as I can support myself, so I'll back you up. No questions asked.”

Just as her sister did a few days earlier, her brother’s words light a spark of determination within. 

_It's time to say something,_ she decides. _And I'm doing it tomorrow._

\---

“Boys, it's been too damn long since we’ve hung out like this,” JJ calls out as he reels in a catch on the fishing line. “The boys are back and I’m not third or fifth wheeling. Thank God,” he hollers out into the open air.

He, John B, and Pope are stretched out on the Chateau’s dock, each with a fishing pole in hand. A blue Yeti Tundra cooler of energy drinks and beer sits in the middle of the dock for easy access by the three Pogues. Each has a tackle box and a drink at his side. 

“It has. Dad’s had me takin’ on more responsibilities and deliveries at the shop this summer which I appreciate, but it’s also a hard reminder that I’m not going into the family business after graduation,'' Pope shares as he sets his fishing pole down and pulls the ball cap off his head. He lays back on the wooden dock and covers his face from the blazing North Carolina sun. “Did I tell you guys that Nat and I are dating?” 

“It’s about time!” JJ shouts. “Did you finally put a label on it after we went surfing last week? Was our Pogue-to-Pogue chat on open water what did it for ya?” He asks light-heartedly. 

“Shut up, JJ.” Pope wacks his friend in the arm with his ball cap. “But it may have partially contributed. I’m not saying anything else.” 

The electrician grins gleefully, pleased with the recent development in his best friend’s life. He pumps his fist in the air and lets out a loud “WHOOO! Pope’s gonna get some!” 

John B rolls his eyes but sticks his fist out to bump against Pope’s. “Hey, that’s great, man. Congrats. Next time she’s in town, we should take another _Pogue II_ trip without JJ fifth-wheeling us,” John B suggests jokingly. He and the young man do their Pogue handshake while ignoring JJ’s faux scoff. 

“Hey- don’t come to me the next time you need her towed if that’s how you’re gonna treat your roommate with the tow package.” He casts the fishing line out into the marsh water with a scowl.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Pope shakes his head and chuckles. “Hey JB, I dropped off a pretty big order at Tannyhill today. It looked like they were setting up for an event in the back. Are the Cameron’s havin’ a party or something you have to ditch us for tonight?” 

Before John B can answer, JJ lets out an excited “Oh,” when something catches on his hook. He reels his line back in only to discover his catch is a plant, not a fish. “Well shit, that sucks.” He tosses the plant back in the water and glances over his shoulder. “Princess is having a party and didn’t invite us? What the hell? You’re supposed to tell us about the Kooky parties we can go to now, John B!” 

The homeowner wipes the sweat off his brow with the charcoal bandana around his neck and nods. “Yeah, but it’s not Sarah’s party. It’s some welcome home networking thing for Rafe that’s disguised as a summer get-together for the neighbors. Rose and Ward were pretty strict about who could come. Sarah asked but Rose put her foot down and said no.” The homeowner shrugs and takes a swig of beer. “It’s whatever. The less time I have to spend around Rafe, Topper and Kelce, the better.” 

“And Rose,” JJ adds. “Can’t forget about the missus, who can’t stand us for some reason.” He opens another Bang energy drink and chugs half of the can before releasing a satisfied “Ahhh.”

Pope removes the hat covering his face to shield his eyes and look at the roommates. “Y’know, Rafe answered the door when I got to Tannyhill with their order.” He sits up on his elbows before continuing. “Lemme tell you- he looked and acted pretty different. This last stint at rehab must have changed his life because he called me by my first name, asked me how I was, knew where the food was supposed to go, stuff like that. He was shockingly pleasant, which is something I never thought I’d say about Rafe Cameron. And I don’t think he was acting either!” 

John B nods. Sarah said in a few texts over the last couple of days that her older brother was different since returning home last week. Even if the king of the Kooks had a dramatic change of heart in the four months he was away, it will take some time before he is ready to forgive Rafe for the bullying and fighting with Sarah and the Pogues they endured for most of their teenage years. 

“Sarah mentioned that a few days ago. Even if he’s changed, I’m not ready to forgive him for all the crap he put us through, especially when we were sixteen.” 

“But you said a-” Pope starts to speak but the leader of the Pogues cuts him off. 

“Yeah, I know what I said a few days ago,” he says, aggravated. He sets the pole down and turns to look between his two best friends. “Just because I’m going to avoid him doesn’t mean I need to forgive him or any of his friends for beating the shit out of us a few years ago! So please, don’t start anything with him or any of them for Sarah’s sake, okay?” 

“Yep, got it, dude. I will not throw my fists at any Kooks. Scout’s honor,” JJ answers. He holds two fingers up with his left hand while placing the other hand over his heart. 

“You’ve got my word, JB. I like Sarah more than you most days anyway,” Pope says sarcastically to the homeowner before shifting his attention to JJ. “You’re doing the wrong sign, man. That’s the Cub Scout one, not the Boy Scout’s. And you’ve never been one, so cut that out. You might be some of the things listed in the Boy Scout law, but you are the exact opposite of courteous, obedient, and reverent.” 

“Aww, was little Pope a Scout before he became a Pogue?” The blond teases, laughter erupting between the trio.

As the afternoon passes by and their fishing poles catch very few fish, one thing remains the same: their mission this summer, even as young adults with jobs and more responsibilities, is to have a good time, all the time. And that begins and ends with the Pogues. 

\---

“Has anyone seen Sarah? Is she home from the club?” Ward strolls through the kitchen where his wife and youngest daughter are checking over the catered food displays. Rafe stands across the room from the two women, mostly to stay out of their way. 

Wheezie shrugs. “Nope, I haven't seen her,” she answers before sneaking a bite of crab dip. “She probably isn’t home yet. She said she had to teach a small group lesson until 4:45 that she couldn’t reschedule. What time is it?” 

The older man checks his Rolex. “It’s after five and the neighbors are already walking over. The club is only a ten-minute drive. Where the hell is she?” 

Rose saunters to her husband’s side with a glass of wine in hand. “Don’t worry about her,” she whispers in his ear. “This is for Rafe, not Sarah. Get a glass of whiskey and go outside to greet our guests with your son,” she strongly suggests. Her eyes leave no room for argument. 

“Yes, dear.” Ward straightens his back and gestures for his oldest to follow him out to the back patio. “Rafe, come with me. I think I see the Mitchell’s out there. I don’t think you’ve met them yet. They moved next door in March.” 

-

Sarah is running late and she knows she’ll hear all about it from Ward as soon as she gets to Tannyhill. Her group lesson started ten minutes late because the family was running behind schedule, which meant she ended late. As she tried leaving, she got caught in a long line of wedding reception attendees driving up to the club and blocking the exit. It took an extra twenty minutes to get the attention of a valet to move the still-running high-end vehicles to the parking lot before she finally left the premises. 

The driveway is mostly empty when she pulls her Volvo up behind Topper’s white Jeep and parks. She thinks she spots a black Subaru with a Virginia license plate, which means her cousins made it in time to visit, as she pushes the driver door open and runs across the yard to get inside before Ward sees her. 

“Do I have any dry shampoo here or did I leave my can to the Chateau,” she wonders under her breath while climbing the winding steps to her room. Once in her bedroom, she searches her shelves for the expensive dry shampoo, a stick of deodorant, and a wipe to remove some of the sweat from her body. Time is not working in her favor today so she needs to freshen up and fast. 

“Sarah?” Ward calls out from the lower level of the house. His voice and heavy steps echo throughout the house and she groans, mentally preparing herself for the inevitable lecture from her father about being on time. 

“Sarah?” He repeats, ascending the steps. Her father suddenly sounds much closer. A quick glance over her shoulder confirms this: Ward is at the top of the staircase and is looking into her bedroom. 

“I’m sorry I’m so late,” she apologizes while spraying dry shampoo into her roots and running her fingers through her dirty blonde tresses to distribute the product. “My group lesson was ten minutes late so I ended late, and then I got blocked in the parking lot by a wedding. I just need to clean myself-.” 

Ward cuts her off when his eyes land on the mostly empty bookshelf, dresser, and the two boxes on the floor. 

“Sweetheart, what's with the boxes? Now’s not the time to clean out your room. We've got guests downstairs.” 

She turns to face her father. “I need to clean up and change. Can we please talk after the party?” she begs. 

Ward shakes his head and steps in the room. He sets the glass of whiskey down on her desk and crosses his arms over his chest. 

“No, I think we need to talk about this now, young lady. It’s clear you’re hiding something and you haven’t been honest with me,” he insists. 

Sarah sighs heavily. She’s backed into a corner and is left with no choice but to tell her father what she’s spent weeks worrying about. 

_It’s time to rip the band-aid off_ , she thinks. _Mom, I really hope you’re wrong this once._

“I want to move out.” 

Once the words leave her mouth, it feels like a major weight lifted off her shoulders. She flashes her father an uncertain smile. 

Ward chuckles, not believing her. “That’s funny, Sarah.” He takes a sip of whiskey, waiting for a different answer from his daughter. 

Any relief she felt disappears at that moment. Her father thinks she’s joking. The smile drops from her face. 

“I’m not kidding, Dad. I want to move out. No, I am moving out,” she states calmly but seriously. Everything suddenly feels very wrong; the energy in the room turns sour in a matter of seconds.

The man’s brow lifts high on his forehead. “And where would you go?” He asks incredulously. “There’s no way you could lease a house or apartment without a credit score or me co-signing on it.” 

She waits a few seconds before answering. “I’d move in with John B and JJ. Could we please talk about this tonight?” 

“Oh, no. We’re talking about this now, young lady! There is no way I am allowing you to move out of this house, especially if it’s to move in with your boyfriend.” His voice rises and the vein in his forehead bulges out like it does when he’s upset. 

_Nope, we’re definitely not doing this now,_ she decides. Ward is not in the right frame of mind to have a serious discussion like this so her best option is leaving the house. 

She picks up her phone, keys, the backpack she tossed on the bedspread and the lavender box of Savannah’s letters from her dresser before silently pushing past Ward. She hurries down the stairs and out the front door. 

“Sarah Elizabeth Cameron, where are you going? I’m talking to you,” Ward calls out behind her. 

“Yeah, well, I’m ignoring you and I’m leaving because all you’re going to do is yell and scream at me after a couple glasses of whiskey instead of having a civil conversation that could have happened later,” she retorts.

Ward furiously storms out the door with the glass of amber liquid in hand. “Young lady, come back here! You need to have this conversation with me and your moth-” 

“Rose has never been my mother!” Sarah shouts, startling the older man. She whips around, her loose ponytail flying over her shoulder and eyes blazing. “And she’s never tried to be or acted like she is my mom. You and I both know that, even if you refuse to acknowledge it.” She turns on her heel and speed walks to the car. “You’re reacting exactly the way mom, my real mom, said you would,” she states loudly over her shoulder. 

Sarah feels cracks forming around her heart. Everything she was afraid of happening is coming true. _Oh, Mom, why didn’t I just listen to you?_

"How would you know that? You were barely four! She's been dead for sixteen years! At some point, you need to grow up and let go of the past!" Ward shouts at her back. 

From the corner of her eye, she can see their guests trickle to the front of Tannyhill to see what the commotion is about. At least twenty pairs of eyes are shifting between her and Ward. Rose tries urging them back to the side patio to hide the confrontation but her attempts are useless. They ignore her. The blonde gives up after thirty seconds and tilts her glass to consume the remaining wine. 

_Leave it to Rose to knock back a glass of white wine as her husband verbally spars with his middle child. And in front of guests, no less. She’s nothing, if not predictable._

Sarah stops and slowly turns around, stunned by the words that just flew out of her father’s mouth. He even appears to be shocked by what he just said. Gasps and rumbles of confusion ripple through the crowd. 

A drunk man’s words are a sober man’s thoughts. Whether it’s the whiskey in him speaking or not, she feels a deeper crack form in her already breaking heart. For a man so keen on respect, she never imagined she'd hear Ward speak so dismissively of the dead, especially toward her mother and his late wife.

Wheezie pushes to the front of the crowd, her features shrouded in worry and fear at the shouts. Topper is right behind her and holds her back, a strong, protective grip on her arm. A few steps behind them is Rafe, who pushes his way to the front of the crowd. When her brother stops beside the frosted-tip haired teen, his hands flex and clench together. His jaw and shoulders are tense. 

Kelce and her cousins, Mallory and Charlie, come up behind them. Once the two young men read Rafe’s brewing anger, they take a step closer, ready to hold him back from running and tearing into Ward if necessary. Mallory’s blue eyes flicker between her and Wheezie before stepping closer to the youngest Cameron. 

"How dare you speak about Mom that way, j- just dismissing her existence like that,” she hisses. “She might not be alive but that doesn't mean her spirit is gone too. In case you've forgotten- which it seems like you have- my mom, your deceased wife, left her children a box full of letters to get us through moments when we’d need her guidance, all while she sat in a hospital getting chemo treatments that didn't end up saving her life. Remember those letters, Dad? You probably haven't looked at the ones she left you in years since you've allowed Rose to erase nearly every trace of her from this house,” she accuses. 

Tears collect in her tear ducts but she wills herself to remain strong. “Did all the work and boat trips and attending parties to appease Rose over the years make you forget about Mom?” 

She stops to catch her breath and see if Ward has any response. His silence makes her blood boil and spurs her to continue. “You've always talked about how important family is, but something changed when I turned sixteen because I’ve seen the opposite of that from you. I’ll never forget the words you whispered the day we buried her: “Help me be a good dad.” Everything was fine until three years ago. Now all that talk about the importance of family is a bunch of bullshit. All you care about is protecting your image. You don't care who you hurt, even if it's your own daughter.” 

She pulls the lid off the lavender box in her arms and digs through the contents. When she finds the envelope with _open when you want to move out_ written in cursive, she holds it up for Ward and, inadvertently, all their guests to see. 

"I desperately wanted Mom to be wrong about something, for once, even if she’s been right about every other big moment in my life she wrote a letter for. And I wanted you to be okay with the idea of me growing up and having my own life plans. I feel like I don't have a choice anymore, especially now. You might not want to talk about her, but the letters she wrote to me are the only connection I have left besides some jewelry in a safety deposit box and photographs. She told me you might not be happy about me moving out, but I never thought you’d act like this.” Sarah hastily replaces the lid on the box and shrugs. “So yeah. I’m moving out. I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment, but I’m not going to let you or your opinion control my life any longer." 

Ward stalks toward her, fuming; any freedom she felt is now long gone. Sarah gasps and puts her hand up in front of her defensively, scrambling back a few steps. The anger radiating from her father doubles her heart rate and fills her with fear.

The defensive motion miraculously halts her father’s feet but does nothing to calm him. From eight feet away, his eyes are equally as fiery as they were in the house a few minutes earlier. She thinks she hears a few more gasps from the crowd of guests, who watch with rapt attention. 

"What happened to that story you used to tell me when I was little about how quickly you and her fell in love and how you moved in together at 23 to start your life together-"

"Sav-” He pushes a hand through his hair and closes his eyes to collect himself. “Your mother and I- Sarah, we were very different from you and John B. It was a different time and different circumstances. You are not moving out! You're nineteen years old. That’s too young to move in with your boyfriend." Her father's voice is rough but firm. His hands tightly clench by his side, and his eyes are wide, borderline wild. 

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but yeah, I am, Dad. I tried talking to you about me moving in with John B several times- at brunch with you and Wheezie, that time I dropped by the office only to be told to talk to the receptionist and schedule an appointment like I'm a client; the night you told us Rafe might be coming home two weeks ago... I’m sorry- I didn’t want you to find out this way! I wanted to talk to you tonight but you didn’t listen when I begged for you to wait until after the party. I'm your daughter but I haven't been treated like it and I'm sick of it. Apparently family isn’t important enough to you unless it benefits your public image.” 

Their guests are taken aback by this revelation. Her statement sets something off in her brother, causing Kelce and Charlie to instinctively grab Rafe’s arms. The rumbling conversations in the crowd and Rafe’s fuming body language prompt her to call out Ward and Rose for another thing: this summer get-together. 

“Disguising this networking event as a summer get-together for Rafe is so twisted that I can’t even begin to explain everything wrong with it! You and Rose knew he didn’t want this but it’s all about you and what you want. God forbid your child expresses an opinion you don’t agree with!” She fakes a gasp for dramatic effect. 

“On top of that, I don't feel welcome here anymore. I leave for college and when I come home, I feel more like a visitor than a family member. We know Rose is ready to redecorate my bedroom into a yoga studio as soon as I move out, so why not do y’all a favor and accelerate the process? You couldn't even be bothered to come visit me at family weekend or help move me out of my dorm. Every time, the excuse was work or ‘Rose wants to do this!’ What about me? What about Rafe and Wheezie? Your children? It shouldn't take getting into a screaming match in front of people for you to finally realize how much you've hurt me the last couple of years all because of your ego!" Sarah cries out. Her shoulders rise and fall as she catches her breath. 

Ward finally realizes how bad he looks in front of his guests. “Sweetheart,” he begins to say while lowering his voice and taking a small step forward. “Let’s just calm down. You’re acting like a child.” He takes another step forward. The threatening edge in his tone is still there. 

She backs away as he continues approaching her. The silver Volvo is just a few feet away from her now: her getaway car. 

_He’s deflecting- he’s trying to sugarcoat things now that I pointed out that people are watching. Hold your ground, Sarah. He knows this looks really bad for him._

“Only because you’ve treated me like one!”

She feels the twenty pairs of eyes shifting between her and her father. Her adrenaline is running out but she has more to say before she can escape Tannyhill. 

With her car remote in hand, she presses a button to turn it on. She needs to leave the scene. Her heart is nearly shattered in her chest and she can’t stand to be on the property for much longer, so she opens the passenger door and throws the backpack and box on the seat. 

"I’ll say it again: I wanted Mom to be wrong for once about you. She said you'd be pissed if I moved in with a boy before I got engaged or married, but I thought you’d be okay with me moving in with someone who’s proved he loves me and who will do everything he can to make me happy. I wanted you to show that you’ve changed since Mom wrote that letter. John B- he,” she takes a shaky breath. 

The next thing she wants to say is incredibly risky but the _fuck-it_ mentality wins over. She’s ripped the metaphorical bandaid off already. What’s a little bit more? 

“We've talked about it- our future. He’s it for me. He’s my person, just like Mom was to you at one point, and I know he will be in my life forever, even if you disapprove.” She shakes her head and slams the open door shut. 

Ward’s feet are glued to the ground. Her statement renders him speechless. This is her moment to escape, but not without one final statement. 

“Something changed in you three summers ago and I don't know what happened that made you become distant from me, but I've needed you so many times since then and you haven't shown up- your family needed you, yet you pushed us aside."

As she circles the front of the Volvo and pulls open the driver's door, she stops and turns back to her father. The vein on his forehead is prominent but there’s something in his dark eyes that pierces her soul. He’s fearful, scared, yet she sees no sign of remorse for his failures as a parent. That’s when her heart shatters into a million pieces. 

Ward finally snaps out of his stupor and stalks toward her car when Rafe rips his arms out from Charlie and Kelce’s grip. The blonde young man strides toward his arguing family and grabs their father by the shoulders, putting himself between her and the older man. He towers over Ward, blocking him from getting any closer to her. 

“If you know what’s best for this family, then I suggest you think very carefully about what you say or do next.” 

Something about Rafe’s hard statement and steel-like stance forces Sarah to stop climbing into her car and stare as tears trail down her cheeks. At one point, Ward probably muttered similar words to her brother when he used the Cameron’s money to buy cocaine and a bike instead of a generator. It’s striking to see the tables turned. 

Rafe’s promise to back her up from their conversation yesterday replays in her mind. He is putting himself between her and a monster to let her escape ground zero. She’s never been more grateful to have her brother around than she is now. 

It’s Wheezie waving at her from the corner of her eye that breaks her out of the trance and prompts her to leave Tannyhill. “Go,” the teen mouths. “Get out of here.” 

"I don't know what changed, but you aren't acting like my dad,” she finally says loudly to recapture her father and brother’s attention. Rafe glances at her from over his shoulder but doesn’t budge from his position in front of their father. All eyes shift back to her. 

“The Ward Cameron I used to know would have never let his relationship with his children suffer like Rafe, Wheezie and I have, especially when we don't know the reason for all the distance. Jealousy, pride, greed… I'm not sure what it is, but it's not fair and I know I don't deserve it. None of us do. I know my worth; Mom taught me that and I refuse to let myself live someplace where I feel anything but love.”

With her final verbal blow delivered, she climbs in the car and backs out the driveway. She uses the side of her hand to wipe away the tears and clear her vision. 

As she departs from the property, their guests start moving: Mallory leans down and whispers something to Wheezie, who runs in the house; neighbors leave for their waterfront homes; Rose shakes her head at the scene; and Rafe shouts at Ward before furiously walking away. Topper, Kelce, and Charlie approach Mal, who appears to explain something before the group disperses. 

Flipping the radio on, she makes a right-hand turn that takes her down the main road before turning off onto the Cut. The new song-of-the-summer playing on the radio distracts her as she blinks back tears. She rolls down the window to feel the wind dry her eyes. There was only one place she could go now: the Chateau. 

Muscle memory takes over. Sarah knows these roads like the back of her hand- where the potholes are, the stop signs, the intersections. Before she knows it, she’s parking beside JJ’s pickup truck and grabbing the backpack and box from the passenger seat. 

She vaguely registers the boys walking up the dock towards the Chateau but ignores their waves and cries hello. She runs up the front steps with her head down, opens the door, and walks straight toward her’s and John B’s room. 

She slams the bedroom door shut and locks it, gripping as much control over the situation as she can while she feels secure. She tosses her belongings onto the bed and sits on the edge of the mattress. 

The stained shiplap on the walls, the sturdy bed frame beneath her, the nightstands on either side of the bed- they’re all pieces she helped pick out and put together for their room. She closes her eyes to breathe in the familiar scent of the Chateau- sunscreen, sea salt, and something uniquely John B. It blankets her in comfort and security. She’s safe. She’s welcome here. She’s home. 

Her thoughts quickly betray her as her mind replays the events that just unfolded at Tannyhill. The feeling of safety and security evaporates within seconds and leaves a crushing wave of self-doubt and anxiety in its place. It presses down on her shoulders, suddenly making it harder to breathe. She tries shaking off the debilitating thoughts by standing and pacing around the room but it's no use. Her heart is racing and she’s locked in. 

_What the hell did I just do?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me! Leave me your thoughts, key smashes, and frustrations in a comment or as a message in my Tumblr ask, alexandracheers.tumblr.com. 
> 
> Songs that inspired this chapter: "Bang!" by AJR, "You Don't Get To" by Kenny Chesney, and "Let You Down" by NF. 
> 
> Portuguese Translations (I don't speak the language and found these online, so if you have a better translation, please let me know and I can correct it!):   
> “Quanto? Posso passar no cartão de crédito?”- How much? Can I pay with credit card?  
> “Obrigado”- thank you
> 
> More is coming. I won't leave you hanging like that, I promise.


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